Madam Match
by daisygirl07
Summary: Ginny Weasley is a single twentysomething year old with a boring job and a hobby she hates Matchmaking her friends and family only reminds her of how empty her love life is. Who will save her from dying alone and lonely?
1. The Engagement Announcements

~Sun., Aug. 24~  
  
I've decided to start a diary. It's not like my life is that interesting, I just want a record of myself, so that after I've died alone, people can read my story. After all, no one is fully appreciated til after their dead. And so everyone will read it and go, "Oh, poor Ginny, she was so beautiful, yet so complex." And the cute bartender who I've been trying to make eye contact with for the past half hour will go, "Oh, I am such a bloody fool! I should have spoken to that beautiful stranger when I had the chance!"  
  
And they all place flowers at my grave as my diary is published and sells millions. Hopefully enough to make Mum and Dad rich. Then they can -  
  
Oh, wait. Someone is calling my name!  
  
~7:15 pm~  
  
Eurk. Bloody Lavender and her husband, Seamus. Just because I see her husband every day at work, does not give her a right to plop down next to me, whenever she bloody wants to.  
  
"Oh hello!" she said cheerfully. "We're meeting Parvati and her sister here. They've gotten engaged!"  
  
"Yes, yes, I've heard," I muttered sulkily. "Parvati to Dean, and Padma to Michael Corner. Dean told me," I said to her surprised expression.  
  
"Oh, yes, both your ex's." Lavender giggled. "Well then I suppose you're at least going to Dean's wedding. That break-up was much more friendly than Michael's."  
  
I had no idea what to say to that. So I said nothing.  
  
"Ginny, what are you writing?" Seamus asked, pointing at my diary. I hurried to hide it, but Lavender grabbed it.  
  
"'I've decided to start a diary,'" she read dramatically. "'It's not like my life is that interesting -' too right, you are, darling."  
  
I snatched it back out of her hands, glaring.  
  
"Writing in a diary?" Lavender said, her eyebrows raised. "I hope you're not communicating with evil wizards again." She laughed to disguise her bitchy comment as humor.  
  
"No," I said testily. "No, this is just a regular notebook. Hermione bought it for me last Christmas and I just broke it out."  
  
Lavender looked like she was about to say something more, but just then, Parvati and Dean arrived, with Padma and Michael in tow. The girls all shrieked when they saw each other, hugging and peering at the engagement rings.  
  
I was ready to sneak away, as the girls were obviously busy, but was spotted before I could make a run for it.  
  
"Ginny!" Dean said. I cringed, but he looked happy to see me. "Wow, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Erm, I was just about to leave," I said, glancing at the door.  
  
"Nonsense!" said Parvati, Padma, and Lavender altogether. And then bloody Lavender launched into the whole story of how she "caught" me writing in a diary.  
  
God, if I get asked about writing to some evil memory or something one more time, I will kill someone, I swear.  
  
"...Lucky Harry Potter was there to save her," Michael went on. Oh, God, does everyone know about what happened in first year?  
  
"I was reading Witch Weekly, and he's on their 25 Most Eligible Bachelor's list," Padma went on, excitedly. "You know, after defeating You- Know-Who in his seventh year, then becoming some super rich Auror guy." [A/N: I know it's SO predictable, but I'm just going on about what I think will happen in the last book. And come on, everyone knows that's gonna happen.]  
  
Parvati snorted. "I feel sorry for whoever's his lucky lady! When he took me to the Yule Ball, all he did was talk to his friend and ignore me!"  
  
I felt a stab of annoyance. She made Harry sound like a jerk, and, despite being clueless when it came to women, he was really quite nice. And I said so.  
  
"Really?" Lavender leered. "Yes, I'm sure you and Harry Potter are best friends, chat every day, do you?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, we do!" I said haughtily. This was not true at all, however. I hadn't seen him since Ron and Hermione's wedding [A/N: another guess that is based on really predictable, clichéd points. I mean, the sexual tension between them is so mucho, that you could make star- shaped holes in it with cookie cutters!] And even then, we barely spoke at all.  
  
But they needn't know that.  
  
"I've really got to go," I said. "I'm meeting my family for dinner. Charlie has some important announcement that I must attend to."  
  
I grabbed my diary, stuffed it in my handbag, and left in a huff.  
  
But as I was stalking over to Fred's and George's store, where I was going to meet them before we went to Mum's house, I started wondering.  
  
I am a twenty-something year old single women. I haven't had a date since...years! I've been too busy working or matching for friends...or...well, no one's asked me out! Ugh, I am just an ugly old women, with a boring job, who will never get married while everyone else in my family does. I will have to join a convent!  
  
God...I am never opening this again! I am such a waste of oxygen, no one will want to read about me. Let Fred and George make Daddy and Mum rich, they've got their super store...  
  
~8:29 pm~  
  
Argh...Meghan asked me for a piece of paper so she could draw. So I might as well just explain a little.  
  
Mr. Lupin and Tonks are getting married...oh, of all people! When I introduced them, I never thought it would last...I mean, Tonks trips over anything in a quarter-meter radius of her and well. . . it's just weird, I guess.  
  
But then I never thought Ron and Hermione would last, seeing as how they argue so much. And they've got their second child coming along. I suppose in their case, the line between love and loathing is very fine...  
  
Penny's asking me why I'm so upset. Wonder where she got that idea, I thought only Meghan saw me sneak away from the dining room. She probably told her mother, and that's why Penelope's here.  
  
Penelope is very nice, though. How she could ever marry Percy, who is a complete git, I have no idea. She was the one who made him make up with Dad and Mum, though. I mean, Percy wasn't even going to tell us they were getting married! But now that everything's all peachy again, he has us all over to celebrate every single one of his children's birthdays. Do you know how many children he has? Four! That's a present for each of them, plus Christmas, so that's...8 gifts a year! Durr! He is such a strain on my wallet.  
  
Well, Meghan is dragging me out to give my congrats to the happy couple. Oh, huzzah! This is what being her favorite aunt gets me...  
  
~9:00 pm~  
  
Oh, I was just pissed when I wrote that. I love Meghan dearly. She's like, my baby sister. I wish I could steal her from Penny and Perce...but it's not like I could afford any more mouths to feed or anything...  
  
Turns out I get to make a little speech at the wedding, for being their "little Miss Match" and all. Durr. Well, it was nice being complimented on my genius for getting them together.  
  
Saw Harry there. He's been invited to Dean's wedding too. Great, now Lavender and the girls will all see proof of my lie when Harry completely ignores me. As usual. Sort of. I wish I could but avoid the wedding, but I already sent back the RSVP already. Damn.  
  
Harry thinks Tonks and Lupin are the perfect match because they are both fun-loving and cheerful all the time (are they). I didn't mention my doubts about their relationship, that I had only set them up because Tonks kept hinting how hot she thought Lupin was (oh, that scarred me permanently; he's so. . . old). And she didn't have to ask ME to set her up. Just because whenever I match people up, their relationship has high success rates. . . could be just a coincidence. . . But no, everyone thinks I've got a "talent" or something. Well, I will just let them all think that...yes, I had complete faith in them the whole time, I do with all my couples...  
  
Oh pooh, here comes Mum. Probably asking me why I haven't snagged a boyfriend yet... 


	2. Babysitting Denise

A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update. I just started high school and it's scary! I have a lot of stuff to do, like piano and all that junk so it's taking me a long time.  
  
By the way, I changed the name of the story cuz...well, the first one was long and I just like this one better. I think the first one sounded sorta stupid.  
  
Thanks for the lovely reviews and constructive criticism ^-^. At first, when I put this up, I was like yaY!oh, this is stupid, it totally sucks... But I always finish my stories, despite hating it, so...  
  
Disclaimer: Oopeez! I forgot to put up a disclaimer in the last chapter. And I'm way too lazy to change it, so JKR owns the characters and stuff and yeah.  
  
And now onwards to the story...  
  
~ Mon, Aug. 25~  
  
Katie's back from her honeymoon today. With Oliver Wood. She's here to visit Alicia and tell her everything about it. But of course, she has to make a stop at my desk. "Thank you for setting us up, Ginny!" is all she can say.  
  
Well, I really had no other choice, you know. But to set them up, I mean. I had to interview him for that stupid article.  
  
"Hey, you're a Weasley, aren't you?" was the first thing he said when I met him. "Fred's and George's sister? Wasn't it your fault the Quidditch Cup was canceled that one time?"  
  
Any thought of him being absolutely yummy had vanished.  
  
"I'm Ginny Weasley, from Teen Witch," I had said, putting on a very forced smile. "Alicia was the one who called you, but she couldn't make the interview today and told me to take her place -"  
  
"Alicia Spinnet?" he asked, looking up excitedly.  
  
"Um, yeah, she's my managing editor. Usually she doesn't take interviews, but she said she hadn't seen you in a long time and -"  
  
"Wow, I really miss everyone from the old team," he said reminiscently. "Harry, Angelina, Katie..."  
  
"Well, um, Harry's an Auror now, Angelina's engaged to Fred, I dunno if you've gotten the invitation yet, but they've mentioned that they were inviting you, um --"  
  
"Have you seen Katie at all?" he asked eagerly. And then I understood.  
  
"Katie Bell..."I said slowly, watching his face. "She works at the Ministry now, Magical Games and Sports I think....She visits Alicia almost every day, because they go out to lunch together...."  
  
I stopped and saw the look on his face. It was so obvious what I had to do.  
  
"I could give you her address, or something, and you could owl her..." I sighed.  
  
"Wow, could you?" he said, excitedly. "Do you think you could tell her you saw me, or something? And that I really wanted to talk to her?"  
  
"Yes, I suppose I could," I said tonelessly. "But could we please get on with the interview?"  
  
"Oh yeah, of course...yeah..." Oliver said. But it was obvious he wasn't paying attention at all.  
  
And so of course when I told Katie about Oliver, she was so happy. I mean, who wouldn't want to meet up with their old Quidditch-obssessive friend who brings up the worst subjects (how I still wish even today that everyone would just forget about that stupid diary thing)? But he is cute, I'll give him credit for that.  
  
But then everyone goes, "Ginny, you've got such a talent for matchmaking! Oh, match me next!" But I didn't do anything, really. I mean, what was I supposed to do, just go, "Oh, even though it's so obvious you've got a thing for Katie, I'm just going to pretend I don't notice and ask you what it's like for Puddlemere United to win it's third league in a row."  
  
Uh oh, Alicia's coming. I don't want her to catch me not working on that Weird Sisters article. She is such a god damn perfectionist...  
  
~ Wed., Aug. 27 ~  
  
I just got an urgent call from Hermione. Her mum and dad got in a car accident or something. Sometimes I think Muggles are so silly to be riding around in little boxes with wheels on them all the time. Doesn't that just sound dangerous? I was terrified when I had to. . .  
  
Well, anyway, she had to dash out of St. Mungo's, where she works (I still think she'd love it more at Hogwarts, but she insists that she doesn't want to leave Ron and the baby) and was in such a frenzy when she Apparated in.  
  
"Oh, Ginny, thank goodness!" she had collapsed onto the sofa. "Mum and Dad, they've been in an accident, I've got to go, but -"  
  
"Are they okay?" I asked.  
  
"Yes, they'll be alright, but still, I have to go there and - and --"  
  
She was gasping for breath, since she was talking so fast.  
  
"I can take care of baby Denise," I reassured her. "And Ron," I added as an afterthought.  
  
"Oh, thanks a bunch, Ginny," she said breathlessly. "I was so worried when I found out, and I didn't know what to do with Denise, she needs to be picked up from day care in half an hour, and I couldn't reach Ron, he's still at the Ministry doing something Auror-ish, I suppose, he's always so busy nowadays -"  
  
"Really, it's all fine, just go on now."  
  
"Thank you, I didn't know who to call, but then I knew you'd be home and so -"  
  
I frowned. How would she know I'd be home? Because I don't have a boyfriend, I don't have a life? Hermione didn't notice any of this, and just went rambling on.  
  
"Well, you'd better get going," I said hastily. "I hope your parents are okay."  
  
She nodded and Apparated. And I was left in my empty flat, standing there, until I realized I had to go pick up Denise from day care soon.  
  
So, I've spent three hours entertaining my little niece, who spent three hours wailing for her mother. But now, she's finally asleep.  
  
Oh, hold on, someone's at the door...  
  
~ Thurs., Aug. 28 ~  
  
That was the most chaotic night I've had in a long time. Ron was banging on the door so loudly, they could hear them in Argentina, I'm sure. I could hear him shouting "Ginny, let me in now!"  
  
"Shh," I said, opening the door. "You'll wake up Denise!"  
  
"Where is she?" Ron said, striding into the living room. "I came home and the place was empty, Hermione left a note and said she was leaving for her parents' and I couldn't find Denise and --"  
  
"Calm down, Ron!" I exclaimed. "I just said, Denise is asleep in my room, okay?" He ran off down the hallway, which was when I noticed Harry standing in the doorway.  
  
"Oh, hello, come in," I said surprised.  
  
"Sorry to intrude," he said, shrugging. "I was supposed to have dinner with Ron and Hermione, but when we got to their place, there was a note on the door from Hermione. Ron started freaking out, in his fatherly way, and was dragging me everywhere." He grinned. "Denise's day care center, your mum's house, even Fred and George's store."  
  
I started to imagine Fred and George taking care of Denise. They'd probably give her fake wands and teach her how to get her father to eat Nosebleed Nougats or whatever.  
  
At that moment, though, Ron came running out, and gasped, "Okay, she's okay. Okay..." he paused for a second, as if he was trying to recall what he was supposed to do next. "Okay, now...must find Hermione. She said she'll be at her parents' house. Can Denise stay here tonight?" Before I could finish nodding yes, he had Apparated out.  
  
"Erm..." said a voice and I turned around. Harry was still there, looking a little lost at what to do. "I guess I'll be having dinner alone again tonight," he said, putting on a "brave" smile.  
  
"Why don't you stay for dinner?" I blurted out, before I could think about what I was saying. "I haven't eaten yet, either."  
  
Harry looked at his watch. "It's 8:30! Do you always have supper this late?"  
  
I shrugged. "Taking care of Denise doesn't leave a lot of time for trivial things like eating."  
  
And then he agreed! And I was so ready to cook dinner and impress him! And everything was so perfect!  
  
Well, not really. I ended up almost blowing up the stove, so I kind of had to cheat and use magic. But if Harry noticed, he didn't say anything.  
  
And then Denise woke up in the middle of the meal and we had to stop and comfort her. But Harry was really nice about it and even played the airplane game with Denise, which is like, her favorite game and totally stopped her tantrum.  
  
My first dinner that wasn't spent eating frozen food from a carton in like...a year? Huzzah! Now I've just got to find a date for Dean's wedding!uzzHar 


	3. Harry Dreams

A/N: Hola! I know it's been a long time since I last updated.sort of. But you see, high school is really hard. And it's my first time there. I don't like it P  
  
Well, I didn't really know what to do for this chapter, like how to make it follow the plot without going too fast. So if it seems like a lot of useless crap, um, let me know I guess.  
  
Oh yeah, thankyoo x 11 for the nice reviews. They were.nice. People are.nice. I haven't gotten a flame yet! Ever! I'm so happy! I wonder if I'll cry if I ever get a flame. ;D  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Enough said, rightio?  
  
This chapter is hecka long so here we go.  
  
~ Friday Aug. 29~  
  
Whoa.  
  
I just had the weirdest dream. About Harry. And it was.  
  
Weird.  
  
I was in the old Gryffindor common room. But it wasn't like a dream when I was little again. Everyone was their proper age. Neville Longbottom (oh, you know I just found out that he's teaching Herbology at Hogwarts; how weird!) was playing a jump roping game with Luna Lovegood, who was wearing this absurd lion hat (it seemed really familiar, but I don't remember from where). Hermione was there saying that Harry wouldn't use the planner she got him, and Harry kept trying to drag me away.  
  
"Let's go, Ginny," he'd say. "Hurry, before Hermione makes me do my homework!" It was really weird, because he was, like, twenty-three years old or something, and he was afraid of Hermione (actually, that's understandable; she was holding up her quill like a spear).  
  
But I kept saying I didn't want to leave. I would say I was afraid of the zookeeper. "What zookeeper?" Harry would ask and then I'd point at the portrait of the Fat Lady. It turns out she had decided to become a zookeeper because she liked the hats they wore.  
  
So he left without me, and I was sitting in the common room when Luna came over (how she got into our common, I have no idea). "Where's Harry?" she asked me, and I told her I didn't know. Then she said I'd better find him because Gryffindor had a Quidditch game against Slytherin in a few minutes. That's when I realized why she was wearing the lion's hat; she wore it during a match of ours once.  
  
So I ran out of the place, braving the newly turned zookeeper Fat Lady. I somehow knew right where he was, in the old DA meeting room. There, I ran in, and saw Pansy Parkinson holding Harry hostage (the Pansy who married that Malfoy git last year). She had him drink 62 bottles of butterbeer and he was so drunk that he didn't know where he was, and what he was doing. This is what Pansy wanted, so that it would sabotage the team.  
  
I pulled Harry outside and told him he had a game to get to (surprisingly Pansy didn't stop me - but then, it was a dream, so.). He was all like, "Thanks, Gin," and while I was wondering when he started calling me "Gin", he had kissed me.  
  
I was shocked, but didn't know whether to take the kiss seriously or not, because he was so drunk. But he had already left and.  
  
Then I woke up.  
  
~ 2: 31 pm ~  
  
Today I went out to lunch with Hermione. She wanted to thank me for baby-sitting Denise. I decided to tell her about the dream, because.well, she knows everything.  
  
"Do you think this means I have feelings for Harry?" I asked her anxiously.  
  
She just pushed her food around her plate with her fork, said "Feelings for Harry???" and raised her eyebrows in a very Hermione way. "No, I don't think so.it's just a silly dream. Besides, you got over Harry years ago, didn't you?"  
  
I looked down at my own plate. True, my crush on Harry died out because I figured it was pretty hopeless and started dating Michael. I mean, Harry and I were "sometimes-friends", but only because his best friend was my older brother. Besides, Michael was really hot (still is, come to think of it.) and he actually liked me.  
  
I guess I looked shifty because Hermione added, "Well it was no big deal. Every girl our age has fancied Harry at least once, with him being so well known, I suppose." She paused thoughtfully. "I mean, even I had a crush on Harry."  
  
I looked up really fast at her. "Oh, it was such a long time ago," she said, waving her hand to dismiss it. "Back in the first year, or something.You won't tell Ron, will you?" She sounded so anxious, it was quite funny.  
  
"You don't think he'd be jealous of something that happened more than ten years ago?" I said, laughing.  
  
Hermione shrugged. "You never know with him, you know." She smiled. "He gets so insecure sometimes, I don't know why."  
  
"Maybe it's because he's worried that someone will steal you away," I said, grinning slightly.  
  
"'Steal me away'?!" she said, frowning. "Who'd want to 'steal' a twenty-three year old pregnant woman?"  
  
"Well, you know, Hermione. You're very pretty and Ron has never been that confident about himself. He probably thinks that if someone sexy enough came along, you'd leave him behind."  
  
"Oh, that is so crazy!" she exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "I mean, we're having another baby, we've already got Denise, I mean, she'd be so traumatized if I left with another man, and -"  
  
I laughed. "Hermione, I'm not saying it's true!"  
  
"Well how can I tell him it's not?"  
  
"Erm.I suppose you just.find ways to assure him that you love him."  
  
"Like.?"  
  
"Like." Oh god, it was so hard saying this with my brother in mind. "Just.show him how cute he is in your eyes or how happy you are to be with him."  
  
Hermione was laughing. "You'd think he'd know this by now," she said, patting her round stomach.  
  
~ 9: 28 pm~  
  
I thought about what Hermione said. You know, about every girl fancying Harry. I did have a huge crush on him and it was so silly. But sometimes it feels like it never really went away. Like, I'd forget about him when I'm dating someone else, but then after the breakup, I'd start thinking about him again. It was weird.like a recurring crush.  
  
Oh, I know!!! It was just post-breakup loneliness. You know, when you get over somebody, and go back to someone that's always been your.safety, or something.  
  
Duh. I should have known that.  
  
~ Sat., Aug. 30 ~  
  
Back on my feet again! I realized I had to get a date for Dean's wedding or else be utterly humiliated by Lavender for showing up dateless.  
  
I've narrowed it down to three guys:  
  
The cute guy who is Seamus's assistant (I wonder what the editor- in-chief needs an assistant for.I mean, Seamus rarely does anything. I guess that's why he likes the job.)  
  
The guy who I see at the coffee shop every day. He orders an iced caffé mocha every time.  
  
That guy in advertisements, on the fourth floor. Sometimes he comes downstairs when Katie visits. He wanted to ask her to get Oliver's autograph for his little sister (how sweet!)  
  
Okay, I'm going in.  
  
~ 3: 00 pm~  
  
Actually, I'm not going in. Both the assistant and the marketing guy I only see at work. And I'm at the coffee place right now, though now I realize it is six hours after he usually is here. And that is on work days.  
  
Oh, yeah! My Harry dreams went away --  
~ 5: 03 ~  
  
Finally escaped Lavender, who found it in her duty to address my date woes.  
  
"Why would you want your Harry dreams to go away?" she said, conversationally. That was when I realized she was reading over my shoulder.  
  
"Lavender!" I shrieked. She is way too nosy.  
  
"Well, he IS the 12th most eligible bachelor on Witch Weekly's list. Just beaten by Oliver Wood, he's number 11."  
  
"Oliver Wood's not a bachelor anymore," I reminded her.  
  
"Yes, well, this thing is outdated," she said, pulling out a copy of the magazine from her handbag.  
  
"Oh, you know that thing is full of rubbish, Lavender," I said, taking the magazine from her.  
  
"Isn't Witch Weekly the parent company for Teen Witch?" she said, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Well, yes." I said, hoping no one from work found out I said that. But then again, Lavender never keeps her mouth shut. She'd probably tell Seamus who'd tell Alicia, who'd.oh well, it's just my opinion.  
  
"So.bringing another piece of arm decoration to Parvati's wedding?" she said. She was pretending to look at her nails, but I could tell she was waiting for my reaction.  
  
"A piece of what?!"  
  
"You know, dear, you're always brining some silly young adolescent to the events you go to, just to show off that you aren't a colossal, loveless loser."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Oh, everyone knows. At least all the girls do, I mean." Her eyes flickered to her magazine that I was holding. "You skipped the page, darling." She turned a few pages back to a big title, "25 Most Eligible Bachelors". Scrolling down the article, I saw a picture of Harry, and a paragraph saying, "The Boy Who Lived, is now a 'Man Who's Living Large'. Twenty-three year old Harry Potter is an Auror at the Ministry.He is currently living at Godric's Hollow, the place of his parents' residence. He enjoys playing Quidditch and regularly donates to the Brooms for Children organization, which provides orphans, like himself, with Quidditch brooms and balls." Junk like that.  
  
"So I'll see you at the wedding, Ginny." I realized Lavender was talking, and tore my eyes away from Oliver Wood's charming, but confused- looking face under Harry's picture. "I can't wait to see your new man- ornament," she said, smirking.  
  
"Really?" I said, my temper flaring up. "I was told I could only bring one guest, so I don't see how I could invite some random guy, like you've said, when I'm taking my boyfriend. That's right, my boyfriend," I said, satisfied by the look of shock on Lavender's face. "He asked me out a month ago, and he is not," I added, "a 'silly young adolescent'. He's a man, with a job, and he does not live with his mother."  
  
The look of surprise on Lavender's face quickly turned into another smirk. "Well then be sure to introduce us at the wedding," she said, putting on a sweet voice. "I can't wait to tell everyone about your new man," she said, emphasizing the last word. And with that, she snatched up her handbag, and Witch Weekly, and left.  
  
And I still haven't gotten a date. And, oh damn, now I gave to get someone who actually has a job and doesn't live with his mother and.oh, damn. What am I going to do? 


	4. The Coffee Shop Incident

A/N : Hi! Updating sooner than I expected! In fact, I'm kind of not finished with the stuff I'm supposed to be doing. . . hehe. . . ::shifty looks:: How will I get into Oxford if I don't do my homework?!  
  
I hope you like this chapter. I don't like it. But I really like this story ( better than my other one, haha. Even though it's kind of weird. . . .  
  
You know for the third HP movie, they're cutting Oliver Wood out of the movie? Waaaaaaaaah!!! I love him! He's SOOOOO HOTT!!! How could they do the Quidditch Cup which is the ALL TIME BEST PART OF THE BOOK!!! They better at least have S2 Ceddy Diggory S2 cause he's REALLY HOTT TOO!!! Well at least they better make him hott in the movie. Or I'll . . . cry. . . ?  
  
OK, just had to share my opinions on that . . . Well, anyway, thanks for the pretty reviews. They make me happy and cowish. Blessing you all with hotties and scrunchies. Sorry, I'm feeling weird. Must be the pearl milk tea. . .  
  
Oyeah, forgot to say HAPPY LATE BiRTHDAY to mars381. Even though I don't really know you, and all, but you're a nice person and I like it when people say happy birthday to me, so I figured it's the same for other people, too!  
  
Alrightie, enough rambling . . .  
  
~ Tues., Sept. 2 ~  
  
Finally found it! I sort of left this diary in the coffee shop. . . I don't think anyone saw it, though. Because it was still under the table where I must have dropped it three days ago. I suppose nobody buys coffee on the weekends.  
  
Hmm . . . I'm addicted to writing in this. When I realized on Sunday that I was missing it, I just HAD to stop by and get it. But the café was closed on Sunday and then Monday I took a day off and went dress shopping for Dean's wedding.  
  
Oh, but then, this morning, I went to the café and saw the Coffee Guy! I was trying to decide whether to ask him or not. I was thinking that I could ask Guy From Upstairs or Seamus's Assistant. But then I remembered that they both work with me and Seamus, who would probably tell Lavender I asked out one of them, and then she would know I was lying. Oh god, that would be horrible! She'd just gloat and tell everyone at the wedding.  
  
So I went over to his table going to try talking to him. But just as I got into the area, this blonde girl came by, sat down, and kissed him. So I figured they were together.  
  
By then, I was about two meters away from their table, and turned sharply as my "excuse" for coming their way.  
  
But I bumped right into someone in the ordering queue, lost my balance, and fell onto some man's lap.  
  
Some very attractive man's lap.  
  
His name's Alair. And he's absolutely amazing! He's a lawyer! Yess! Finally got a smart one! And he knows how to speak Italian and cook and doesn't live with his mother!!! He's the one I can take to the wedding!  
  
I swear, I blushed so hard that my face was the same color as. . . well, my hair, I guess. And everyone was looking at me! So I tried to get up as gracefully as I could, but he tried to stand up, too, and I just ended up falling over. It was very humiliating.  
  
But at least I was rewarded. Because he helped me up and said sorry and I sort of just stood there going "Uh. . . uh . . ." but he asked me to sit down and he bought me a coffee and we talked for hours, until I realized I was late for work.  
  
And he's taking me out to dinner on Friday!!!  
  
It's been the perfect day!!!  
  
Well, it could have been better . . . . You know, without the falling in front of everybody in the café, and Alicia getting pissed at me for showing up an hour late. I could have done without those parts. . . .  
  
~ Thurs., Sept. 4 ~  
  
Ooh, I can't wait for my date with Alair!!! What am I going to wear?!  
  
Must go shopping!!!  
  
~ Fri., Sept. 5 ~  
  
Meeting Alair in two hours!!! I better start getting ready.  
  
~ 6: 00 pm ~  
  
Finished drying hair. . .  
  
~ 6: 45 pm ~  
  
Can't find my cute black purse. Oh pooh. . .  
  
~ 6:55 pm ~  
  
Only five more minutes til Alair comes! And I still can't find my clutch!  
  
Maybe he'll be late . . .  
  
I doubt it. He probably doesn't sound like someone who'd be -  
  
Oh, why am I wasting time writing in this when I could be looking for my purse?!  
  
~ 10: 59 pm ~  
  
Found my purse in the end. It was in the hamper. And I was right, Alair was on time. He took me to this French restaurant and it was very romantic, but I couldn't read the menu, so he read it for me! He speaks French, too!!!! And of course, that is just the most romantic language of. . .ever!  
  
But I didn't ask him about going to the wedding, of course. I didn't want to overwhelm him on our first date.  
  
~ Sun., Sept. 14 ~  
  
Hmm. . . haven't written in this for a long time. And it isn't because I lost it. I was too busy going out on dates with Alair!!!  
  
Went to Ron's today, to help plan Hermione's birthday party. Hermione was at the hospital, working. And Ron was shuffling around the house with Denise, feeding her porridge and talking to us at the same time.  
  
He can be a good father, Ron. When he's stops acting stupid for a second, I mean.  
  
He didn't even get mad when Denise started laughing at George and spit porridge everywhere. Well, he did sort of get mad at George. Maybe because he had been pretending to set fire to Ron's favorite Chudley Cannons robes or whatever they're called. The "collector's item" that Hermione wants to throw out (but she never had the heart to; I thought she would've, though. . . I know I'd want to).  
  
"Could you get the door, Ginny?" he asked me when someone knocked, as he was mopping up Denise's face.  
  
And what a surprise, it was Harry (well, not really; Harry's always over at their house). Just seeing him made me remember my dreams and blush (but not as hard as I did at the café incident).  
  
He didn't seem to notice, though. He just grinned and walked in.  
  
He has a nice smile. . .  
  
Ooh, got an owl from Alair!  
  
~ 5: 56 pm ~  
  
Oh my god, he just asked me if I was doing something on Saturday. Yes I am! That's Dean's wedding date!  
  
He obviously wants to make plans. . . should I tell him about the wedding? Should I ask him to it???  
  
Well, I suppose I have to some time. I can't show up dateless in front of Lavender. And Alair seems mature. It's not like he's a commitment-phobic.  
  
Or is he?! HOW MUCH DO I KNOW ABOUT HIM, ANYWAY????  
  
~ 8: 05 pm~  
  
Oh. It turns out he's going to Florence for a bit and wanted to know if I wanted to come too.  
  
It's Italy! But I can't go! And he can't come to the wedding now!  
  
Pooh. And I was just about to ask him. Really.  
  
Alair,  
  
Sorry, can't make it to Florence. Got a wedding to go to. My ex- boyfriend's.  
  
Well, tell me what it's like there. I really wish I could make it, but I promised Dean I would go.  
  
Will miss you,  
  
Ginny  
  
Hmm. . . that sounds good. I think I'll send it.  
  
~ 9: 00 pm ~  
  
Well.  
  
Alair came by, just 20 minutes after I sent the letter.  
  
"I know we've only been going out for a little," he started immediately when I opened the door, "but I really like you Ginny." I smiled. "And I want to spend more time with you. . . ." He trailed off, but I think I knew what he was getting to.  
  
"I want to spend more time with you, too," I said. "It's just unfortunate that you're going to Italy. I would have loved to bring you to the wedding. . . ."  
  
"Oh, you know, I don't have to go to Italy," he said casually. "I'd love to stay here and go to the wedding with you."  
  
"Really??? That would be wonderful!" I said, hugging him. Hmm. . . I wonder why he rushed over to say this. . .I'm guessing it was the "ex- boyfriend" part. I dunno why he should get uptight about it, I mean, Dean's getting married, for goodness sake.  
  
But it's getting him to the wedding, I guess. Lavender can't ridicule me now! And speaking of. . .I should tell him what I told Lavender. In case she asks him how long we've been dating or something. . . .  
  
~ Fri., Sept. 19 ~  
  
Hermione's birthday party was super. Everyone was there, Mum and Dad, Hermione's parents (her dad just had a broken wrist from the accident), Fred and a very pregnant Angelina. Everyone! Even Mr. Lupin and Tonks. The house looked really nice. And Percy made Meghan, Ian, Natine, and Sheadon sing a song. With harmony! Goodness, it was hard enough being his little sister, it must be even worse being Mr. Perfectionist's children! Poor Meghan, and her siblings.  
  
But you could tell that Hermione was really happy, especially when Ron gave her the locket with their family portrait in it. It was so adorable!  
  
She's so lucky. She got married right after her graduation, practically. Just like Seamus and Lavender. And even Malfoy and Parkinson. And everyone else who didn't get married is getting engaged now. Except for me.  
  
If it wasn't for Alair I'd say I'd die alone.  
  
Well, mustn't think like that. I've got the wedding to go to tomorrow. I hope I can fit into my dress, I ate so much cake! 


	5. The Wedding

A/N: Hmm. . .so some of you seem to be getting. . .annoyed with the pace of Ginny's love life.  
  
Well, sorry. Can't tell you who she'll end up with, although it's pretty obvious. I just don't want to jump to it too fast. Because no one, especially Ginny, get things perfect on the first try. Or the second. . .or third. . .hahaha, I feel so absolutely evil right now!  
  
But don't worry. You'll get what you've been waiting for.  
  
Unless you wanted her to shag Draco Malfoy or something. Because that'll never happen in any of my fics. Unless I wanted to do something odd or throw people off the trail of my plotline!!!  
  
OOH OOH SOMEONE HELP ME OUT!!!! I read somewhere on, like. . .er. . .mugglenet.com maybe or something. . .well whatever, I read that in the fifth book, Fred was dating Angelina but he and George switched places for fun, and Angelina ended up liking George better. DiD THiS REALLY HAPPEN iN THE FiFTH BOOK??? i DON'T REMEMBER READiNG iT!!! So what page was it on, then?  
  
Thanks for liking Alair, by the way. I won't be mad if you hate him after this.  
  
Well, muchos gracias for the reviews :D (haha, look at me being all bilingual) Traci loves you all! And sorry if this chapter is weird. I caught a cold and am drunk on cold medicine. I didn't even get to help make the freshman class's homecoming float, or go to the JV homecoming football game -_- ::weeeep::  
  
That was just a lot of rambling. Props if you read all of it . . . .  
  
~ Sat., Sept. 20 ~  
  
Ooh, the wedding was absolutely super!!! Everything about it was absolutely super. Alair was absolutely super.  
  
I was too, I suppose. I mean, I didn't show up with some "silly young adolescent" or whatever everyone expected me to do.  
  
But yes, Alair was very perfect. He was perfectly perfect when Lavender strode over to us and promptly demanded to be introduced.  
  
"Alair, this is Lavender, an old schoolmate," I said tonelessly. "Lavender, this is Alair, my new boy-"  
  
"How old are you, Alair?" she asked, in an accusing voice which she did not bother to hide.  
  
"Erm," he faltered, no doubt surprised by Lavender's unabashed interrogation. "How old do I look?" he grinned, recovering spectacularly.  
  
"What do you do?" she continued in her blatant manner.  
  
"For a living? I work in law --"  
  
"Where are you residing at the moment? Anywhere near your mother?" Ah. . .she was trying to find out whether he really was a "man-ornament" who I just picked up off the street. . . .  
  
"Err. . .my mother passed away last year."  
  
"So you lived with her up til then, did you?" She tutted. "Have you ever been in prison? How long have you been going out with our Ginny?"  
  
"Now, Lavender, we don't want to hold you up," I said, finally putting an end to the madness. "Why don't we get ourselves some drinks while you continue your mingling. You are a bridesmaid, after all." I gave her a cheerful smile as I dragged Alair away to the bar.  
  
"Is she --?" Alair began.  
  
"Mad?" I said, laughing. "Nutty, crazy, bonkers? I won't deny it. . . .No, she's just disappointed."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because you turned out to be everything she didn't want you to be." I grinned and kissed him on the cheek, ending it at that.  
  
So you see, everything was going great. I hadn't tripped at all or spilled anything on myself! Well, so far.  
  
Why can't I ever have a klutz-free day?  
  
"Michael, stop it!" Padma said, scolding her boyfriend, who had been all public-displays-of-affection-like. "You'll smudge my make-up!"  
  
He abruptly spun away from her and stalked off, offended. Padma rolled her eyes.  
  
"Honestly!" she said, sighing. "He doesn't need to get so upset! I spent hours on this face! You wouldn't happen to have a mirror, Ginny, would you?"  
  
"Err. . ." I looked around for Alair, to make sure he didn't see me passing out hand mirrors to people (how superficial would that look?). But he was off somewhere else. I forgot where he went. . . .  
  
"Oh, please, Ginny? Normally I would have one with me, but of course I couldn't bring a clutch, I'm a bridesmaid, I had to hold flowers and -"  
  
"Here, just take it," I said, opening my purse and rummaging around for my compact. As I did, my wand fell onto the floor, and rolled under a table.  
  
"Damn," I said, as I shoved the mirror into Padma's hand. I could hear her saying, "Thanks a bunch, Ginny!" as I reached down to get it.  
  
But of course, my wand has rolled right to the center of the table, which has to be so wide in diameter that I couldn't even feel the tip of it. I had to crawl under it before I could even see where it was.  
  
"Ah!" I made to grab it, but accidentally pushed it out the other end. "Damn," I said again, as I crawled even farther in to retrieve it. Before I could even place my hand on it, however, someone else had seen it and picked it up from the floor.  
  
I wondered who would be the worst person to see me crawl out from under the table. I automatically decided on Lavender, and was quite sure that it would be she who had picked up my wand.  
  
However, shuffling backwards and brushing my hair on the tablecloth, I bumped right into none other than Harry Potter.  
  
Or rather, Harry Potter's lower leg.  
  
He was twirling my wand and looking down at me as though he was trying not to laugh. He failed.  
  
"Hey!" I said, indignant. I mean, I did need to get my wand and crawling under the table just happened to be the only way to do that.  
  
"Sorry," he said, still laughing, as he handed over my wand. "So, um. . ." he made a serious face. "Enjoying the wedding?"  
  
We chatted aimlessly for awhile, about nothing I can really recall. And then he was all like, "Doyoowannadantzginnee?"  
  
"Um, bless you?" I said, thinking he had sneezed.  
  
He took a deep breath. "Do you want to, um, dance, Ginny?" That was when I noticed that practically everyone else was twirling and whirling on the dance floor, to wedding-esque music.  
  
"Um. . ." I was quite taken aback, to be honest. "I dunno if my boyfriend would. . ." I looked around for Alair. Would he get upset if he saw me dancing with Harry? I mean, he got so protective when he found out I was going to my ex-boyfriend's wedding. Even though that was, like seven years ago. But Alair was off dancing with Sohalia Cheruvu, someone I had introduced him to earlier.  
  
"Oh. Well, never mind," I said cheerfully. "I'd love to dance."  
  
So we. . .well, danced. And talked too, I guess. That part was a little uncomfortable, though.  
  
"So which one is he?" Harry asked me, abruptly.  
  
"Huh?" I had no clue what he was talking about.  
  
"Which one is Alan? Your boyfriend."  
  
"You mean Alair? He's over there, dancing with Sohalia."  
  
"Hmm," he said, and I could tell he was appraising Alair over my shoulder.  
  
"Are you getting all protective and judgmental, too?" I said, raising my eyebrows. "Because I get enough of that from my brothers."  
  
"No, nothing, I was just-" He got cut off, however, by Parvati and Padma's mom, who came over and said, "Harry Potter!" really loudly. "It would be such an honor if you could perhaps make a toast to Parvati and Dean." And of course everyone had heard this so Harry couldn't decline. He's a gentleman and all, but he hates being shoved into the spotlight.  
  
And that's really it. The wedding was great, I didn't get humiliated by Lavender, and I had a fun time. I should get some sleep now, I'm exhausted.  
  
~ Fri., Sept. 26 ~  
  
Oh, I hate the wedding! I wish I had never gone! I wish I had never taken Alair! Stupid Alair, I hate Alair!  
  
I hate myself.  
  
If only I hadn't taken him to the wedding. Then I wouldn't have introduced him to bloody Sohalia Cheruvu and he wouldn't have "fallen in love" with her.  
  
As if. How can you fall in love with someone in less than a week?  
  
But according to Alair, the few days they've spent with each other has made him see that they are "like soul mates, destined to be together."  
  
You know what? I don't believe in soul mates. Not anymore. And "destined to be together?" Divination is absolute rubbish.  
  
Oh, why did I take him to the wedding? Why did I introduce them? I don't even know Sohalia! Padma had introduced me to her only half an hour ago! I could barely remember her name. I just knew she was director of assistants to the chief accountant at Gringotts. Whatever that is, I thought, "Oh, sounds smart, I bet she'd get along great with Alair."  
  
Bill says that job is "fluff", like a title to make someone sound important. They really do nothing, except order around interns or other pointless tasks. I bet she slept with the boss or something, to get a job where she basically does nothing. Yeah, that's it. I knew there was something fishy about her.  
  
Ugh, I should have never brought Alair to the wedding. I should have just gone to Italy with him. But I was too worried about what Lavender would think, too obsessed about wanting to impress everything with my smart, charming, perfect boyfriend. If only I hadn't said anything about the wedding. We would still be together. . . .  
  
I hate myself! I'll never get married like everyone else, I'll be stuck writing meaningless articles for silly, celebrity-minded teens, ducking away from silly "friends" who demand that I match them up with someone so they can live happily ever after. As if that really happens.  
  
And then Mum wanted to have us all for dinner tonight. I forget why. . . .You know what, I don't even care! I'm not going, I'll just stay here in my pajamas and eat ice cream and feel inferior to every other woman on the planet because that's what girls do when they've been dumped.  
  
I'VE BEEN DUMPED!! By ALAIR. Oh, of all people!  
  
~ 6 pm~  
  
Well, we had only been dating for just less than a month. . . .  
  
~ 7: 02 pm~  
  
Ugh, my family will not leave me alone! Just because I said I'm not coming to dinner tonight and am going to stay in my flat forever until I go off to live in a convent doesn't mean they all have to shove their heads in the fireplace to try and convince me to come out.  
  
Well, I'm just ignoring them. Dad can call at me from the fire as long as he wants, but I'm not coming out.  
  
Ergh, I just heard Fred say, "C'mon Dad, don't worry. She'll run out of food eventually, and then she'll have to come out."  
  
I need more ice cream.  
  
~ 8: 15 pm~  
  
So when I found out I had no more ice cream, I went back into the living room, to grab this diary and seek refuge in my room. Dad was still there, trying to get me to talk.  
  
"Ginny, at least let us send someone over there," he pleaded. "Anyone, me, Mum, Charlie, Hermione?"  
  
"Yeah, Ginny," I heard Ron call over. "Can't suffer alone -ow!" Undoubtedly, someone had smacked him over the head. Most likely Hermione.  
  
"Fine!" I shouted, bristling. "Send Meghan over!"  
  
"Meghan?" Dad sounded surprised, but didn't address it. "Okay, then, Meghan, do you want to go help your aunt out?" His head disappeared from the fireplace. Pretty soon, little Meghan came stumbling out of the hearth, coughing and shaking ashes out of her pigtails.  
  
"What's up, Auntie Ginny?" she said, totally unfazed by my bummish look (tear-streaked face and rumpled sweats). "Why aren't you at dinner? Daddy says a boy made you cry."  
  
Ugh. Stupid Percy, I thought. But I just nodded.  
  
"Well, that's silly," she said, childishly innocent. "Boys are icky."  
  
I laughed, the first time that day. "Not all boys are icky, Meghan."  
  
"You're right," she said wisely. "What about Uncle Harry? He's nice, charming, handsome, and donates quite generously to various non- profit organizations. . ."  
  
I laughed even harder. The line was so obviously force-fed into her, I was sure she didn't even know what she was saying. "Harry? Charming and handsome? Could've fooled me. . . ."  
  
"Hey!" said a voice, and I saw Harry emerge from the green fire, carrying something.  
  
"So how much did you pay Meghan to say that?" I asked him.  
  
"Pay Meghan?" he put on a fake, hurt voice, at the same time Meghan exclaimed "Five Sickles!" He covered her mouth and said something like, "I would never exchange money for anyone to acknowledge my better qualities. This is just how Meghan regards me, I'm sure."  
  
He came over to the sofa where Meghan and I were sitting, but Meghan interjected, "Wait! Uncle Harry, don't come any closer!"  
  
Harry and I both looked at each other, confused. Meghan, however, rolled up her sleeves in a business-like manner, and said "Circle circle, dot dot, now you've got a cootie shot." She drew two circles on my forearm and then poked it twice, smiling toothily at me. "Just in case he has cooties," she whispered to me.  
  
"Alright, then," Harry said, grinning. "Your mum wanted to send over some food, she's really worried. So I volunteered to deliver it." He handed me a large plate wrapped in tin foil, and steaming hot. Typical Mum.  
  
"That was nice of you, Uncle Harry," Meghan said politely.  
  
He nodded. "Why do you call me 'uncle', anyway, Meghan?" he asked, smiling. "I'm not your uncle. . . ."  
  
"But Uncle Ron says you don't like being called scarhead--" she started.  
  
"Well that's true, but we're not related," he said.  
  
"I'm not related to Aunt Hermione, but I call her 'aunt' anyway," she protested.  
  
"But Ron and Hermione are married, so --"  
  
"So if you marry someone who's related to me, then I can call you uncle?"  
  
"Yes, but-"  
  
"Well then you can marry Auntie Ginny, because she's the only one who's not married." She paused. "And the only one who's a girl," she added, thoughtfully.  
  
Harry laughed. "Let's go back to your grandma's house, Meghan. Aunt Ginny should get some sleep." They both waved at me as they clambered into the fireplace in turn. "'Night, Gin," Harry said, as he followed Meghan into the hearth. Hmm, he called me Gin. . . .  
  
Well, their little visit did made me feel better. But there is no way I'm going to sleep. I'll just have dreams about Sohalia and Alair having fun together, planning to go to Italy together.  
  
I'm gonna go get a drink. . . . 


	6. A Secret Affair!

A/N: EW EW EW!!! I just realized that Harry was SO out of character last chapter. Well, sort of. Oh pooh. . . .But I really wanted him to say all that stuff :'[ Well, let's all pretend that in the future, Ms. Rowling's Harry is a lot like my Harry :D Yes, that'll get around it.  
  
Well, I think everyone else was OK. Yeah! I know Meghan wasn't out of character. . . .Muahahua!!!  
  
OH OH OH!!! A special thank you to the special anonymous reviewer "betty"!!!! You're so nice, thank you for having hope in my Oxford dream!!!! Proof that someone actually reads my A.N.s!!! Hopefully I WILL get into Oxford and then I can meet cool British people!! Haha, that's a few years from now. . . .  
  
Disclaimer: Yeah, I finally remembered. Sorry JKR! Haha, like she'd ever know. . . . Oh, forgetting the "disclaiming" part: NOT MiNE.  
  
So onwards. . .it's been a while. Since I kind of haven't been looking forward to writing this chapter, I put it off, and it's really short. Please don't hate me!  
  
~ Sat., Sept. 27 ~  
  
Woooooooo!!!!!! I'ma so happeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! And drunk. But just a little. Or maybe a lot, I'm not suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure.  
  
~ 9: 24 am ~  
  
Hmm. I think I wrote that around one in the morning. Not sure. Hard to remember. Was so drunk but really am so happy. The best thing happened last night! I went to get a drink since I was feeling so depressed and. . .  
  
I ran into Michael!  
  
He seemed really out of it too, and so when we started to talk, it was really easy to connect. Both our lives are miserable and pathetic! We have so much in common. . .  
  
He asked me what was wrong and it was pretty lame to say "I accidentally set up my boyfriend with another woman."  
  
"Well I guess that just proves how good a matchmaker you are," he said seriously.  
  
"Huh. I can't even find a decent boyfriend for myself. My life is completely loveless."  
  
"Hmm. . ." He leaned back in his chair. "Well love's complicated. I'm. . ." He beckoned me in closer. "I'm starting to have second thoughts about the wedding."  
  
"Wha??"  
  
"Padma and me, the heat's not there anymore. I'm starting to think we rushed into things."  
  
"Hadn't you been going out for a year before you got engaged?"  
  
"Yes, but ever since then, Padma's been so obsessed with all the wedding things, it's getting annoying. Sometimes it's like she wants the glory of being a bride more than being a wife." He sounded a bit huffy.  
  
"Oh, well things should get better soon."  
  
Michael shook his head. "No. . .no. . ." And then all of a sudden, he leaned forward and kissed me.  
  
"What was that for?!" I asked, shocked.  
  
"Erm. . ." he looked sheepish. "I think I'm still in love with you."  
  
I thought it was. . .odd how he could say this, when we haven't dated for eight years or something. But it was so sweet and nice and. . .  
  
It's just feels good to have someone love you.  
  
And so we went back to my flat and. . .well, if I talk about it, this book would have to be sold in an adult bookstore or something. . .ew. . .  
  
Aah. . . I'm so happy!  
  
~ Sun., Sept. 28 ~  
  
Today I ran into Harry while going for a coffee. I had to find a different coffee shop, in case I run into Alair there or something. Gaah. . .  
  
So we were sitting there chatting, when all of a sudden I started humming. It was this song that I couldn't quite place. I was just thinking that Harry must find me a real freak when he unexpectedly said, "Oh yeah. . ."  
  
"What, sorry?"  
  
"That song." He smiled. "It was the one we danced to at Dean's and Parvati's wedding."  
  
"Oh. . .yes," I said, although I had not the slightest clue. Harry has really good memory. I could never recall stuff like that. . .  
  
"So, um. . .how's the Alair thing going?"  
  
Ooh, I really wish he wouldn't talk about that. . .  
  
"Erm, it's alright, now, I guess. . ." I said carefully. "I'm. . .perfectly fine with it. I mean, it's nothing to. . .get stuck on."  
  
Oh, god. Well, it was a good answer, right? I mean, you can't tell that I feel so absolutely shitty about setting Sohalia and Alair up.  
  
That's really selfish of me. From now on, I will be a better person. I will stop being lazy at work and always thinking about myself. And I will stop swearing. Maybe.  
  
No use dwelling on the past, I suppose. I think I'll go to Michael's tonight.  
  
Heeheehee! I can't stop giggling! I've got a secret affair!!!  
  
~ Mon, Sept. 29 ~  
  
Oh dear. Had just gotten into work when Seamus called me over to his office.  
  
"Erm, sorry to bother you, Ginny, but Lavender really had to. . ." He trailed off just as Lavender burst into the office, with carrier bags in both hands.  
  
"I've got the tissues and the low-fat ice cream, now out! Out!" she said, shooing Seamus away.  
  
Honestly, he has no control over his own wife.  
  
"So I heard about the break up, darling," Lavender said, very business like, as she started taking things out of her bags, "and to be quite frank, I think it was all for the better."  
  
"What?!" I said, but she shoved a spoonful of ice cream into my mouth. "Ew," I said, choking. "This tastes horrible, Lavender!"  
  
"Low-fat, darling," she said, tapping the carton. "Now, as I was saying. Really, Alair was too perfect, too boring for you. You need someone you can wallow in self-pity with."  
  
"Shut-up, Lavender."  
  
"But really, maybe Sohalia and Alair were meant be. You do have a knack for matching people up well and Sohalia is really nice and very fun. I'm not surprised she and Alair got along so well."  
  
"So am I just too mean for him, then?" I said, bristling.  
  
"No. . .no," Lavender said thoughtfully. "You just need someone different than him."  
  
Oh pooh. I really did think Sohalia was nice, too. Until she stole my boyfriend.  
  
I hate myself.  
  
++ Extra Author's Note ++  
  
Ooh, go miss-lily-evans! I made SOOOOOOOOOO many mistakes in this series. And you caught one of them! Haha, I made an "arguable" mistake early on, but I think I changed it. Pwaha! Thanks for catching it. Soy muy estupida. I hadn't written in a long time. . .Maybe I should reread the story before I write every time. . .  
  
Oh, while I'm here, I have a question. Should I make a sequel to this? Well, it's unfair for you guys because you don't know what's gonna happen ::cackle:: but perhaps I could make one. . .I'll ask again at the end to see. . . 


	7. The Trouble with Love

A/N: Dear Readers,  
I, tR00 kangar00, am very sorry for the delaying of this chapter. I was held up by this horrid thing called HIGH SCHOOL. Unfortunately, I go to a very competitive school, and I, being a very competitive person, feel obligated to beat the pants off of everyone else at that school. Doing this leaves little time for writing stories.  
  
I am also sorry because the last chapter was completely stupid. It was the shortest, and my least favorite of them all. And, I am really surprised that this didn't come up, but. . .  
  
Ginny is one bad chica.  
  
It's sad how she's doing this. I am truly disappointed in her. What she is doing is morally wrong. Say no to secret romances with engaged men, people!  
  
P.S. Do you think I should write a sequel? I have some ideas. . .  
  
P.P.S. Thanks again to betty! Your praise means a lot! I'm surprised people still said nice things, despite the suckiness of the last chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: Pwah, why bother?  
  
~ Tues., Oct. 28 ~  
  
Ooh, I haven't written in here for a long time. Seems sort of silly to write in a diary now. I don't have much to say. Except my life is soooooooo perfect! I have a perfect job and a perfect home and perfect friends and family and a perfect boyfriend. I feel like a perfect person!  
  
Except for that whole "secret affair" thing. But really, it's not that bad. I mean, Michael is breaking up with Padma anyway, he says the whole wedding is off. So eventually, he will be single, and our relationship is just starting earlier than it would have been.  
  
Although it has been a month now. Has the wedding been called off yet? I should ask him. . .Oh well, it's no big deal. He probably just wants to break it to her gently. Mmm. . .yes, he's always been really considerate of other people's feelings. I mean, he seems to understand me so well! It's always so nice to have someone to share nice, long conversations with.  
  
Well, they aren't always long. But it's really quality over quantity. And at least I always have fun whenever he comes over. I mean, that's what a relationship is all about, right? Enjoying yourself. . .yes. . .  
  
Ooh! This Friday's Halloween! I'm supposed to be going to Mum's house for dinner. . .Good thing I remembered. She was so upset when I didn't come to the last family function, whatever the occasion was. Well I was going through an emotional crisis, you'd think she would understand, being my mother and all. I don't know whether she thinks I'm as emotionally stable as a rock or something, but really! Bad things happen to me! Sometimes I have trouble getting up in the morning!  
  
Wait, no. . .Gaah, lets go back to being perfect again.  
  
~ Fri., Oct. 31 ~  
  
Hmm. . .Well, I just came back from dinner and I'm so glad I went! I learned a lot of interesting things. . .I had only been at the Mum's and Dad's house for ten minutes when Ron and Hermione started having a row.  
  
Haha, I shouldn't be laughing at them, but it was just so funny. It all started when Ron walked into the kitchen, where Hermione, Bill's special friend Fleur, and I were "cooking". Because they were actually teaching me those silly domestic spells that I never really cared to learn. I mean, who needs to learn how to peel potatoes with your wand or something? That's what take-out is for.  
  
"It's really easy, Ginny, just remember, if the velocity of the swishing movement is faster than the blah blah blah then blah blah blah and your potatoes will turn out to be round and not oval," Hermione was saying. Or, something along the lines of. I'm not sure whether it had to do with velocity or roundness, but I'm quite positive it had some relevance to potatoes.  
  
"Oh, Fleur." Mum's head poked inside from the backyard. "I think Bill was calling you. Do you want to see what he wants?" It was when Fleur was following her out into the yard that Ron was very noticeably. . .err, well, checking her out, I suppose.  
  
"Ahem." Hermione cleared her throat loudly, and Ron spun around. Anticipating a fight, I tried to slide my chair back as inconspicuously as possible, as Ron said,  
  
"What?"  
  
I mean, DUH. Sometimes I cannot believe my older brother, and his complete lack of knowledge towards the laws of romance, i.e., not staring at one's brother's Special Friend if one's wife is sitting right next to him. Whether the Special Friend be part Veela or not.  
  
"Do you think she's pretty?" Hermione said stiffly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Do you think she's pretty?" she said again, putting more emphasis on the whole sentence.  
  
"Who, Fleur?" said Ron, unsure of what to say. "Um, sure, she's alright, I guess, I -"  
  
Throwing caution to the wind, I quickly scooted my chair till I was up against the wall.  
  
"You have the-the-audacity-to drool over her right in front of me?" she said furiously, standing up and knocking her chair askew.  
  
"Wha-no, I wasn't drooling, Hermione I just said -"  
  
"Argh, I don't want to hear it! You are so infuriating, Ron! Why don't you just marry HER and get HER pregnant and - argh!" And then with that, Hermione the Raging Capsule of Estrogen stormed out of the kitchen, leaving a very frustrated and bewildered husband in my care.  
  
And of course, I took this as my cue to enlighten my dear brother.  
  
"My god. . ." Ron was saying, his face buried in his hands. "She just keeps getting so upset at me for no particular reason. . ."  
  
I shook my head. "Obviously, Ron, Hermione is going through a very difficult time. You two wanted to have another baby, and maybe your job's done, but she's still got to be pregnant, which is not the most pleasant thing in the world and-"  
  
"My job is not done," Ron said, exasperated. "I still have to listen to her complain and get her all those random things she needs and--"  
  
"Yes, yes, exactly what a good husband should do," I said, patting his head vaguely. "But, really, don't you see what Hermione's going through?" Of course he doesn't, I thought to myself, and so I continued on. "She probably feels really self-conscious right now. Here she is, in the midst of her pregnancy, and you start talking about how pretty you think Fleur is or whatever, in front of her rounding belly and all! That was really stupid of you, Ron."  
  
"Yeah, but she knows I - you know, love her," said Ron, looking around the room as if afraid someone might overhear. Honestly, men are so uptight about saying the L-word.  
  
"Of course she does. She wasn't really serious about you marrying someone else or whatever she said, and I'm sure she doesn't mean to get all worked up over silly things. She's just a bit insecure right now. Plus, her hormones don't help too much either," I added thoughtfully.  
  
"So do you think I should go apologize, then?"  
  
"Oh, no, Ron. You should just sit here and ponder over what Mum's making for dinner," I said sarcastically.  
  
Ron blinked, then flashed a grin. "Yeah, I think I'm going to go apologize. Thanks, Ginny," he said, ruffling my hair as he passed me to leave the room.  
  
I sat there, shaking my head at the extreme ignorance my brother possessed until. . .  
  
"Wow," said a voice from behind me. I turned around and saw Harry peeking in from the backyard.  
  
"I almost came into the kitchen, but when they started to argue, I thought it might be better out here." Harry looked around, his hands in his pockets. "But I think your way of dealing with them was much better."  
  
I blushed, but didn't have anything to say to that.  
  
"You know, you're really good with this advice stuff," he said, taking a seat at the table. "You should start an advice column or something, since you work for a magazine and all."  
  
"An advice column?"  
  
"Yeah, so you could help clueless men figure out what to do in hopeless love situations."  
  
I laughed. "Or just people in general? I'm sure women have relationship trouble, just as much as men do."  
  
"That'd work too, I suppose."  
  
Hmm. Well we talked about it for awhile and I think it's a really good idea, starting a love advice column. Setting people up never used to be fun, but now that I've got wonderful Michael, it's only fair to help other people find their true loves too. And anything's better than writing about some boring Quidditch star I don't care for. I should ask Alicia about it. . .  
  
Which reminds me, this was not the only romantic crisis I happened to run into.  
  
I was walking around upstairs, to see if I could find Hermione. When I passed the twins' old room, I heard Fred and George talking.  
  
"I mean, what am I supposed to do?" George was saying. "How am I supposed to go to her wedding and just sit there, listening to her say 'I do' to some stupid guy that I don't even like?"  
  
"Yes, that is a tough one," said Fred thoughtfully. "Tried telling her this?"  
  
"Of course not, what would I say? Yeah, I don't like your fiancé. In fact, I think he's a slimy, manipulative and controlling git and you deserve so much better. Like how about me?" George sighed. "God, I can't believe Alicia's marrying that guy. I mean I always expected her to dump him. I always thought she'd just be there, single- "  
  
"What?!" I just had to interrupt. "Alicia's getting married?"  
  
"How long have you been listening?" George whirled around, seeing me standing in the doorway.  
  
"Alicia didn't tell me she was engaged!" I said, still marveling over the fact that such a scary person could have a husband-to-be. "And she's my boss!"  
  
"Ooh, she told me. Maybe it's because I don't piss her off as much as you do," George snapped. I could tell he was really mad then, he doesn't usually get upset with me. Or anybody, really.  
  
"I thought you would've been happy for her, George," I said. "I mean, aren't you supposed to be her friend? So what if you don't like the guy, maybe he makes her happy?'  
  
"Ginny, you should go," said Fred quietly. "There's just stuff you don't really know about. . ."  
  
"Fine!" I said huffily, storming out. Hmph, they always exclude me because I'm their baby sister. It's not like I wouldn't understand, or something. I mean, Harry said I give good advice! That's got to mean something. . .  
  
~ 11: 42 pm ~  
  
Oh! It just came to me! George is in love with Alicia!  
  
Hmm. It all makes sense now. I don't blame him for being upset. I'd be pretty depressed if Michael was engaged to some other woman and. . .oh wait. . .I should really ask him about that. Yes of course, first thing tomorrow. Or this week. Or some time. I'm really quite busy. . .  
  
Yes, Ginny, I am too. Wow this chapter sucked, sorry it's so short. And you know, I'm not even close to finishing this. I think this is gonna be, like, 20 chapters or something. That is way too long. I mean, who'd want to read all of that? I wouldn't. And I was planning to start something else, too, a George/Alicia story, haha, that's where I'm getting all that from. Well, think about the sequel, guys, and let me know. Oh and sorry that the Ron vs. Hermione scene was so out of character. But really, who would better at depicting one of their famous lovers' spats than dear J.K. Rowling? So byee! 


	8. Letters and Voodoo

A/N: Sorry long time no talk. Been real busy. Understand if you hate me and never want to read this again. But before can you answer this question?  
  
When you say that Ginny seems ditzier than before, do you mean compared to OotP or my earlier chapters? Because maybe I can make an excuse.  
  
Am sad. Have realized this story is a combination of all the fanfiction habits that peeve me the most. Am very sorry.  
  
Disclaimer: Wouldn't it be cool if I really did own all this junk? I guess I'm writing this because I'm too lazy to make up my own characters, though.  
  
~ Mon., Nov. 3 ~  
  
Should I go talk to Alicia right now? I wonder. . .should I ask her about the advice column? And about George?  
  
She'd probably just start yelling at me, I know it. She's so uptight, like she's got a stick up her arse. . . .  
  
To ask or not to ask -  
  
~ 10 : 42 A.M. ~  
  
Ugh. Stupid Seamus. It's all his fault.  
  
"I think you should ask her," he said, reading over my shoulder. What is up with these people? He and his wife just can't mind their own business.  
  
"Do you even know what I want to ask about?"  
  
"Yeah, it says right there. An advice column and your brother George," he said, pointing to the page. "But besides that, no. I just want to see what will happen."  
  
"Do you think she'll yell at me?"  
  
"Ehh, why should she? I mean, you haven't done anything. Yet."  
  
I should have known something bad would happen. I mean, Alicia hates me. But I listened to him anyway. And I am hating myself for it right now. But I'm hating Seamus more.  
  
"Alicia?" I said, knocking on her office door. "It's Ginny. Do you have a minute?" There was silence on the other side, so I knocked a little louder. "Alicia, hello??"  
  
I mean, really, what else would you do? Nobody answered, so I thought she didn't hear me. She really shouldn't have started yelling at me. I didn't do anything wrong. I think she just likes to blame me for her terrible, unsatisfied life. Maybe she'd be happier if she stopped being such a cross old goose. . .  
  
"What do you want?" she said, throwing the door open. Darn, I thought. She's in a bad mood. Score one for me. . .  
  
"Um, I just wanted to stop by and say 'Hi' to my favorite boss," I said, trying to lighten up the atmosphere a little. And of course it worked wonderfully.  
  
In the form of Alicia slamming the door on my face.  
  
I sighed and was about to go back to my desk, when I had an idea.  
  
"Congratulations on your engagement, by the way," I said. I almost laughed when the door whirled right open.  
  
"What? Where did you hear about that?"  
  
"From Fred and George," I said, thinking carefully about what to say. Now that she was listening, I had to keep her attention and temper in check. She always seemed to like yelling at me the most. . .  
  
"George?" she said, slowly. "I didn't know he knew. . ."  
  
Yeah, he does, I thought. And he's none too happy about it.  
  
"Yeah, he does, he's very happy for you, so who are you getting married to?" I said. Maybe a little too eagerly.  
  
Alicia scowled. "Where's your article?"  
  
I frowned. "What article? Are you changing the subject?"  
  
"No," she snapped. "I'm asking you where your article is. Remember? The one on the rise of those new pop stars?"  
  
Oh, that article. Well, she only told me about it last week. . .She really shouldn't pick on me so much.  
  
"Alicia, the deadline isn't until Friday. Can I start an advice column?" There. I jumped right into it.  
  
"An advice column?" she said, turning to a piece of parchment and starting to read it.  
  
"Um, yes. Like love advice. . .You know, for people who need advice. . .in love and stuff. . ." I felt more stupid by the second.  
  
"And why would you want to do that?"  
  
"Well, it's something I'd really like to do. . .It sounds fun and. . .well, my friends say I'm really good at matchmaking and -"  
  
"You know, Ginny, I'd have to think about it. Putting in a whole new column is a lot of work, and it's not all my decision. And even if it was," she said, still shuffling her papers, "I don't know if I could give a column to someone who turns in all her articles late."  
  
Now that was really unfair. I only missed two deadlines, and that was only in one year.  
  
"Ginny, if you could leave now, I'm really busy. They want my help filling a space in the Daily Prophet. I know one of the editors for the entertainment section."  
  
Grr. It was so unfair, she didn't even give me a chance to explain! Alicia just doesn't like me. She wouldn't talk to me about her engagement, she wouldn't listen to my advice column idea. My job is such a waste of time, I have no fun at all. . .  
  
~ 8: 23 P.M. ~  
  
Am supposed to go see Michael tonight. But I don't feel like it. I'm too depressed . . .I think I'll send him an owl.  
  
Dear Michael,  
Sorry I can't come tonight. I think I just need a night to myself. I'll talk to you later, hopefully.  
Much love,  
Ginny  
  
~ Tues., Nov. 4 ~  
  
Ohh. . .I just got an owl from Michael.  
  
I spent the whole afternoon making dinner for last night and  
then you just cancel on me at the last minute? You know, maybe  
we aren't right for  
each other, I forgot how flaky you were. I think we are over.  
Have a nice life. And by the way, me and Padma are back ON.  
Michael.  
  
Oh my goodness, I just feel like absolute . . . ugh, shit. Oh if I knew he would get mad at me for canceling, then I never would have! I thought he would understand! Was I really that flaky towards him? I never meant to be. . .Oh, life is just absolutely shitty. . .I hate myself, why do the worst things always happen to me?? I thought he had broken up with Padma!!  
  
Except he never really said so . . .Oh god, what should I do? Should I go talk to him? Oh god oh god, maybe if I explain what happened, he'll forgive me.  
  
I'm never coming out of the flat again, never!  
  
~ 9: 45 A.M. ~  
  
I've been doing some thinking . . . Well, that's all there really is to do when you stay home from work. Ugh, I just realized, I bet everyone thinks I stayed home from work today because I'm upset about Alicia turning down my column. . .They must think I'm a poor, bummy woman who's always late and can't keep a steady boyfriend and always spills her lattes on the office carpet. . .  
  
But anyway, I'd been thinking. I finally remember why I dumped Michael many years ago . . . He was so self-centered and stubborn. He only made me pissed . . . Oh, then why did I get back together with him again? How could he make me so happy?  
  
Ugh. Probably because he kept saying he loved me. See what loneliness does to you? Ugh, it led me to bed with Michael. Damnit, stupid me. . .I hate myself. . .Always being so depressed and then getting with some totally destructive guy just because he says he loves me. . .Love is stupid. I mean, there are more important things, things that won't hurt you back. Things that don't involve stupid men who just use you and then dump you for the next woman . . . Like money. Wait, no. . . .  
  
I just realized! Bastard, he told me he was taking me out to dinner, but in the letter he made it like he was making it, toiling so long over his fucking stove. . .He was just trying to make me feel bad!  
  
Well why does it even matter? We're over forever this time, I'm positive.  
  
I hate love. It's such a misleading word.  
  
~ 4: 54 P.M. ~  
  
Well what do you know? Lavender does have a heart.  
  
She stopped by my flat a while ago. Sort of invited herself in, I must admit, but this was the first time I felt bad for her. Ever. Even though it was more torturous than I would have liked. . .  
  
"Seamus told me about your little 'Never coming out again' fit, and I wanted to see what you did now," she sniffed, looking around condescendingly at my flat.  
  
Oddly enough, I was too depressed to kick her out of my apartment. So I just said, "Yeah, my boyfriend dumped me over something silly. . ."  
  
"You had a boyfriend? Another one after Alan?" she raised her eyebrows. "Hmm, and I thought you were planning on becoming a nun."  
  
"It was Alair, and yes I did," I said, monotonously. "I just kept it quiet. It's no big deal, anyway. We weren't really right for each other. . ."  
  
"Well then why are you all depressed?" she said, crossing her arms and looking down at me, hair messed up and wrapped in blankets on the sofa.  
  
"I dunno. . ." I said slowly. Why was I so upset over this? "I guess it's because . . . Well, you think you're in love, and then it suddenly hits you that you don't have anything, and you end up back where you started. . ."  
  
Lavender snorted. "That wussy story is no where near as terrible as mine! It's horrible, oh so horrible . . . This man, he . . .he tried to put moves on me!" she said, her eyes wide to accentuate some point. "I need your advice."  
  
That makes one person who wants to hear what I have to say, even though I couldn't imagine anyone who would want to "put the moves" on Lavender. . . "Maybe that person just didn't know you were married?"  
  
Lavender drew in a deep breath. "Ohhh, he knew. You can't tell anyone Ginny, but it was," she shuddered fearfully, "Padma's fiancé, Michael!"  
  
For a moment, my heart stopped beating. Just hearing his name, finding out it was him. It was like I was Stunned.  
  
But Lavender was still talking. ". . . And I can't tell Padma, of course, because she will just hate me forever! And Parvati is on her honeymoon still, and even so, she's Padma's sister! There's no way she wouldn't tell Padma. . .What should I do??"  
  
She was biting her manicured nails, looking around anxiously. It was annoying how similar she looked to a frightened rabbit. A rabbit who dressed in other rabbits. Ew.  
  
"I think-" I started, but Lavender interrupted me.  
  
"I should really tell her, I should," she said. "I don't want Padma to marry a-a--"  
  
"Fuckwit?" I supplied. "Lavender, just do what you think is right, okay? But I've got to go, why don't you go home or something?"  
  
"But - but--" Lavender bit her lip. "Okay, fine, but I'm going to tell her. It's the right thing to do!" She Disapperated out of the room.  
  
Ugh. Lavender's visit left me with this horrible queasy feeling in my stomach. Sick about Michael, that fuck-witting bastard, who put moves on Lavender and dumped me and played Padma and -  
  
Oh, god. I'm such a horrible person! This whole stupid time I've been having a whole stupid affair, and I didn't even feel bad about Padma! And then here comes prissy, self-centered Lavender, and when she gets into the same situation as me, she resists! And even decides to tell Padma!  
  
Does this make her a better person than me?  
  
Ugh I wish Lavender never came . . . She didn't even need my advice, she didn't even let me say anything! All she did was make me feel like complete scum! The kind that grows under the bottom of a soap bar that no one wants to touch or clean.  
  
Oh my god, I just can't stand this! Blow after blow, how many people are out there trying to ruin my life? Is someone going to ring my doorbell and tell me that I accidentally broke some little boy's spine or something and make me feel even worse about myself?  
  
Gaah I hate my life so much.  
  
~ Wed. Nov., 5 ~  
  
Ugh. Just woke up to a flurry of owls.  
  
~ 6: 54 A.M. ~  
  
Ugh. Can't these people just leave me alone? I have never done anything to them.  
  
Why weren't you in yesterday? This better not be one of your "I'm never coming out again" fits. I know you don't care, but the deadline for the articles have been moved to Thursday.  
Which is tomorrow, in case you're in some completely lost, dazed state. It better not be late.  
Get better soon,  
Alicia  
  
Err. . . Why does Alicia never trust my competency? I can turn in that article right now if I wanted to. I'd just have to write it first.  
  
And then from Lavender:  
  
Ginny!!!! Meet us at my house as soon as you can!!!!!! Hurry!!!!! It's an emergency!!!! And bring photo book!!!!  
Kisses, Lavender  
  
Talk! About! Excessive! Use! Of exclamation points!!! Doesn't she mean "Kisses! Lavender!"?  
  
Why would she want my stupid photo album?  
  
~ 8: 26 A.M. ~  
  
Had the weirdest time at Lavender's.  
  
First arrived about an hour after she woke me up with her stupid letter. Honestly wasn't in a rush to get there. I mean, waking up early in the morning to visit Lavender? Like I would actually go out of my way to see her, even if I got to sleep in. Besides, she describes her house as "the blue pretty one, that's bigger than yours".  
  
So I go to her house, found out that what she says about her house is true, and am immediately attacked when I ring at the door.  
  
"Aaaauugh!" Lavender screamed, throwing her arms around me. "Ginny I'm so glad you're here. I just had to say thank you!"  
  
"Um, you're welcome," I said. "For what?"  
  
"For advising me to tell Padma the truth," she said, her eyes shining with tears. God, she's so melodramatic.  
  
"But Lavender, I didn't do anything-"  
  
"So I told Padma," she continued on, not listening to me, "and she said she had some idea that Michael was having an affair something anyway and that he was a just a stupid man-pig and that she had really wanted to dump him but she was too afraid to since they had spent so much time on the wedding. But now she has!!!! She's not even mad at me. We made up a new motto: 'Chicks before Dicks'!!!"  
  
"Mmm, that's nice," I said. See, now he's single . . . At least I was right about that. "Why did I have to bring my photo album, anyway?"  
  
"Oh, yes!" She grabbed the book from me and started flipping through the pages. She did that for about a minute until she started to frown. "Don't you have any pictures of Michael?"  
  
"Um, no," I said, "They're all from Hogwarts and I kind of threw them out after. . .my fourth year."  
  
"Oh pooh," she said, throwing the photo book down. "I wanted to give them to Padma, to help her with the healing process. She wants as many pictures as she can find for this new hex she found in Witch Weekly." She showed me the article. It looked like a bunch of old crazy witch-doctor voodoo.  
  
"'Get back at your ex with a few simple items: photographs of him, a non-flammable basin, lighter fluid, and spite for that stupid guy'," I read.  
  
"Isn't it great?" she said, all excitedly.  
  
"Um, yeah," I lied. "Sounds like fun."  
  
"Why don't you join us? It'll be all the girls and you can bring some pictures of those other weirdoes you dated too!"  
  
"Uh, no, I'm busy."  
  
"Busy? You don't even know when it is."  
  
"Uh. . ." I really did not want to be involved in her crazy voodoo. Especially since I did not think it would work, except to burn the house down. "You know, I'm just busy every day. Hard work, being a reporter, um, I've got to go, alright?"  
  
"Okay. Hope you're going to work, though," she said, shaking her finger at me. "Alicia is this close to sacking you."  
  
"What?!" I whirled around to face her. "Where did you hear that?"  
  
"Well she and Seamus say you're always late for work and -"  
  
"I've only been late a few times, and I've had perfectly good reasons!" I was fuming. "You know, I think Alicia just hates me! She's never this mean to everybody else!"  
  
"Well maybe you should try talking to her," Lavender said, taking out a nail file because this conversation just wasn't interesting enough for her.  
  
"WHY???"  
  
"Well maybe you could become friends with her."  
  
"WHY????"  
  
Lavender sniffed. "She is a person, you know."  
  
I guess it wouldn't hurt to try . . .I really want my own column!  
  
**Hmm. . .Does Lavender remind anyone of Karen from Will and Grace? Well sorry this chapter took so long, but I made it extra lengthy just for all you angels out there :D.** 


	9. A Chat with the Boss

Disclaimer: You know. . .  
  
~ Thurs., Nov. 6 ~  
  
I'm going to try.  
  
I'm going to win Alicia over (Hmm that sounded weird. Okay, win her over in a non-lesbian way.). We'll become best friends then she'll give me the love advice column. And then we'll go on holiday together and talk with each other at work and everyone will be so jealous because I'm so cool, I'm friends with the boss. Especially Emma Worth, over in human resources. She's always sending nasty memos informing me how late I was for work. . .So what if it's her job, I can tell from the way she writes it that she just loves to chide me. . .Plus, I am never that late. Only when I have a good reason (Like when my watch broke; I had to go fix it, of course! I couldn't go around not knowing the time - I'd be late for stuff. I even wrote that on the reply memo. I don't think she wrote me back. . .). Plus, I think she stole my cute little stuffed cat figurine that I had on my desk. It's gone missing and she was always looking at it. . .  
  
Well, there are more important things I suppose (although I really do miss my cat). I've got to convince Alicia to be my friend. Or give me the column. Whichever comes first.  
  
Gosh, I'm so scared though . . . Last time Alicia was yelling at me and everything. Well, sort of. But she was really really cross. Maybe I should wait awhile. . .  
  
~ 9: 06 A.M. ~  
  
No I have to be confident. I will sell my case in a confident and persuasive, yet not too arrogant or pushy manner. And she will be so mesmerized by my speech that she will have to give me the column. And perhaps give me a raise.  
  
Hmm. I need a bait, though. How about I give her my article? It's a day early, but it shows responsibility. If I could just find it. . .  
  
~ 9: 10 A.M. ~  
  
Ooh I found my cat! I wonder what it was doing under my desk? Emma Worth must have purposely knocked it down or something. . .  
  
~ 9: 21 A.M. ~  
  
Finally found the article! It was on the windowsill, under this potted plant I bought (I don't really like plants - they're a little boring. But it seemed so. . . well, posh, to have a fresh-looking office.). I guess I must have been sitting here while I was proofreading it. It's always nice to look out the window. There are lots of trendy shops and you can see people from all the way up here. Although I guess that makes sense, I'm only on the second story -  
  
Is that Michael? Walking with Padma?! But I thought they broke up. . . Lavender said they broke up. . .  
  
Wha??  
  
Maybe they did break up. And they're just talking. . . No, of course not, why would anyone want to talk to Michael after he's been such a jerk? Maybe they never really did break up, and Lavender just lied. . . But why would she lie? There's no reason. . . So then. . . Padma lied? But still, no reason to. . .  
  
God I'm so confused. . .  
  
They don't even look like they're arguing or anything. . . Well, I can't exactly tell, but they're not hitting each other or anything (hmm, lovely mental image of Padma beating Michael up). Gosh, I wish Michael would move his fat head - I can't see Padma's face. Wait, never mind, I see her. Well, it's hard to see exactly, I'm too high up. . . I don't think she's smiling. . . Though one cannot smile twenty-four hours a day, I suppose. . .  
  
Ugh, what's going on?!  
  
~ 9: 40 A.M. ~  
  
So I went to go ask Seamus about this. I mean, he would know, right?  
  
Haha. No.  
  
"Seamus!" I said, bursting into his office.  
  
"Oh hey Ginny, want to go get some coffee, I was just on my way out -"  
  
"NO!" I interrupted him, "We can't go out there, Padma and Michael are out there." I paused for affect.  
  
And got a perplexed stare back from him.  
  
"Padma and Michael," I said again, dramatically. "Together. Outside. On this very street!" I exclaimed, pointing at the floor, frustrated.  
  
"Soooooooooooo?"  
  
"So! They're supposed to be broken up, Seamus! Since yesterday! Your wife told me so!"  
  
"Hmm, really? I didn't know. So you don't want a coffee?"  
  
"No!"  
  
And with that he left.  
  
GAAAAH. Stupid Seamus doesn't know stupid anything. Gosh, why are they together? Maybe Padma doesn't know what Michael did. . . no, she must, Lavender said she told her. She said they were going to do that stupid voodoo together. I didn't see her there yet, but I'm sure she came later, I'm sure Lavender told her. . . They even had that "friends before fatheads" or something. . .whatever, I was paraphrasing.  
  
I'll talk to Lavender later. . .  
  
~ 1: 32 P.M. ~  
  
I almost forgot to give Alicia my article. It's such a good thing I did!  
  
I was walking past her room during the lunch break with my article, to get a folder for it from the supply room, when I heard a voice coming from her office. The door was open a crack, so I went up to it. Since everyone was out on break, nobody would catch me eavesdropping - wait, no "listening" to my boss's conversation.  
  
"But Preston, they're my friends," she was pleading. "How can I just leave them like that?"  
  
In my head: Who's Preston? What a weird name (no offence).  
  
"Yes, but - but - I know that, but I can't just forget about them like that!"  
  
In my head: Forget about who?  
  
It seemed that she was talking through the Floo or something, I couldn't really hear anybody else too well. She was starting to speak quieter now. I leaned closer to the door to hear better.  
  
"You have no idea what you're asking of me, do you?" Her back was to the door. Darn. Because she sounded like she was close to tears.  
  
"Of course I want this to happen, but. . ."  
  
This was too juicy to miss. I leaned in closer and closer till. . .  
  
"Oof!"  
  
I kind of leaned too much and the door opened. Oh yeah, and I fell on the floor.  
  
In my head: Ow.  
  
Alicia spun around, and I was so ready for her to start yelling at me. 'Good thing no one else is here to see this' I thought, considering the embarrassment. 'But then no one will save me. . .'  
  
I looked up and Alicia was talking into a Muggle telephone. She was looking down at me, kind of oddly. Like she saw me, but wasn't actually registering the fact that I was there. And I was right about her crying, her eyes were kind of red.  
  
"Preston, I can't talk right now. I've got something to do. . ."  
  
In my head: Something to do? Like FIRE me?  
  
"Yes, I love you, bye."  
  
In my head one last time: So Preston is her fiancé!  
  
"So Preston is your fiancé!" I said.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she ignored my comment. "Why are you still here, everyone's at lunch, and what are you doing eavesdropping on me?"  
  
'Not eavesdropping, listening,' I protested in my head.  
  
"Well? So what were you doing?" she said to my silence.  
  
I looked at my crumpled piece of parchment that I had fallen on. My poor article! I wondered if that would be the best way to propose my plan now. . .  
  
"I just. . . I heard you were a bit down and wanted to stop by to see if I could cheer you up?" I lied. She looked dubious. "Aaaand. . ." I started again, "I got you. . . this gift card to Honeydukes!" I pulled the gift card Harry had given to me when I said I was craving some chocolate. I was planning to use it today (darn!) but this was more important. And generous. That good karma thing. . .  
  
"Ooh," Alicia said under her breath. She grabbed the card and turned it over. "Ginny, this is only seven sickles worth." Darn. It was originally 10 galleons. . . But I spent a lot of it. . . Gosh, I wish the stupid card didn't stupidly update how much money was on it after you use it. Maybe I should have charmed it. . .  
  
Oh whatever. It was good chocolate.  
  
"Seven sickles and. . ." I said, fishing in the pocket of my robes again, "two galleons." I deposited the coins in her hand with a flourish. "Oh, and nine knuts."  
  
Alicia stared at the money, then shrugged and put it on her desk.  
  
"Just don't tell anyone I'm accepting money from my employees," she said.  
  
Wow, close to humor. I decided it was safe to joke with her. "Only if you share the sweets." We both laughed.  
  
"So. . ." I started casually, "who were you speaking on the phone with?"  
  
"My fiancé. . ." she said, her expression changing.  
  
"Oh really? You're getting married?"  
  
"Shut up, Ginny. You already said that to me a few days ago."  
  
Did I? Pooh. . . But she looked amused. Must have been the gift card.  
  
Since she was in as close to a good mood as I had ever seen her in I decided to have a go. "Alicia, do you wanna be friends?"  
  
Alicia stared. "What the-"  
  
"Well, in our modern magical business society, more employers than not have a very distant relationship between their employees and themselves. But study shows that the closer you are with your coworkers the better the work environment functions -"  
  
"You're lying, Ginny," she interrupted.  
  
Durr. How can she always tell?  
  
"Alicia, is there something wrong between you and. . ." your fiancé? I was afraid to finish, not sure how touchy the subject was.  
  
Alicia looked down. "It's not really anybody's business. . ." but she looked unsure.  
  
"Well. . ." I started, "everyone says, I give really good advice. And you look really sad, I'm sure you'd like to talk about something."  
  
"Hmmm. Do I really look that bad?" she asked.  
  
"Your eyes are kind of red."  
  
She sighed. "Well since you already heard half the conversation. . . I guess I'm kind of torn. Preston. . .he doesn't really like my friends. You know, Katie, Angelina, your brothers . . ."  
  
"Why?!" My brothers were the coolest people in the world. Grr. Indignation.  
  
"Well. . . I guess it's more like. . .well, everyone. My family, too."  
  
"WHY?" Seriously, how could this guy tell her he doesn't like her family, too?  
  
"Because. . . because they're different."  
  
"What?"  
  
"More like. . . because we're different."  
  
And then I got it. The telephone. How we're different. The guy was a Muggle. Weird.  
  
"How can you marry this guy after what he said?!"  
  
"Hey Ginny, I thought you said you were going to give me some good advice," Alicia scowled.  
  
"Oh. Well if he doesn't like us, then why does he accept you?"  
  
Alicia sighed again. "Sometimes you can't help who you fall in love with."  
  
I just stared.  
  
"Besides," Alicia started again, more to herself than to me, "it's not like he's rude to them, he sends them gifts and stuff. He just doesn't want to visit them. . . He took it hard when he found out. . . what I was. . . Just a little surprised."  
  
Gosh. . . No wonder Alicia is always so upset. She's been dealing with this for. . . well, as long as George has been mad at her at least. It just made me think, can some things be more important than love? Like her family and friends, who never did anything to her fiancé-guy, and now he wants her to leave them for himself?  
  
"Are you going to. . . listen to him?" I asked, and for some reason, my voice shook. Something at the back of my head was trying to come out of my mouth.  
  
"Well, that's the thing, you see," she said, staring at her hands, "I really want things to work with us, he's such a great person. But. . ." She looked up, and I saw she was crying. The first time at had ever seen her show actual human emotion (besides anger). "He wants me to live with him in London where he owns this big executive company. He says I don't have to work anymore, but I want to! How can I just block out my family like that? My whole life, my career, my friends?"  
  
And then, in a split second, I remembered, and my mouth opened before I could stop it. "What about George?"  
  
Alicia stared. "George?" she said, sniffling a little.  
  
"Yes, he-"  
  
"Oh, I know he's really mad at me, sometimes more than anyone else. . . I've tried talking to him, but. . .oh, he really doesn't like Preston. . ."  
  
"Actually that wasn't what I was gonna say -" But I stopped. She didn't know about George and Love and all of that. Should I really be the one to tell her?  
  
No.  
  
But Alicia was looking up at me expectantly so I said, "I know you love that Preston guy, but isn't what he's asking just a little bit unreasonable? You're giving up a lot of things just to be with him, and a marriage should be more about compromise. You should talk to him about it." And, because it seemed like it needed some sort of fancy flourish, I added "Plus, if he really loves you, then he would understand."  
  
We were silent for a moment while Alicia looked thoughtful. Then she said, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you're right, Ginny." She stood up and walked to the door. "I should go wash up. Wouldn't want anyone to see me like this," she said, indicating her red eyes. "Oh, and thanks Ginny. You really do give good advice." She smiled.  
  
"Does that mean we can be friends, then?" I asked, grinning.  
  
She laughed. "I guess so."  
  
"Oh! And before I forget!" I handed her the crumpled piece of parchment in my hand. "My article."  
  
"It's early," she said, and started to open it. "You obviously went through. . . great lengths to get it here. . ." She started squinting at the writing, rotating the paper every which way. "Well, it's the thought that counts, so thanks."  
  
"Wait! One more thing, Alicia!"  
  
"More? I didn't want to say this out loud, but I've really got to have a wee."  
  
"Oh, um, sorry," I said, but she was laughing. "You know the love advice column I talked about a few days ago? Do you still. . . ?"  
  
She smiled. "I'll think about it." Then she ran off to the toilets.  
  
Oh god, I'm so happy! I mean, not for Alicia or anything, but. . . Oh, who would of thought? I actually do "make friends" with my boss, and might be getting my own advice column! I did lose some chocolate money, but really, it's a small price to pay in exchange for the de-drearinessing of my job! Gosh, for once Lavender was right about something!  
  
Oh! Lavender. . . I have to ask about Padma and Michael. . . OK, I promise I will tomorrow. . . Definitely. . . Yep.  
  
A/N: Wow, I think this is my best chapter in a long time (way to be modest!). Well, no, it's more like because the other ones sucked. Well, some notices: be on the look out for some weird parody I might be doing, and of course, that spiffily cool Alicia + George story KEKEKE, so excited! By the way, Preston the Muggle and his meanness to Alicia is © tR00 kaNgaR00. I'm afraid people might bite it. 


	10. Meet Madam Match

A/N: You know what's cool about ff.net? I can see who's got me on Author Alerts and know who reads but doesn't review...Sniffle, I feel so cheated on ;D Well anyway, the reason it's been awhile is because I've written this story all the way to the very end. Eight chapters in two months! My record! Which is very sad...But yes, I'll try and upload a chapter once a week.  
  
Disclaimer: All the characters and. . .um, stuff, belongs to that woman who invented the Harry Potter series.  
  
~ Mon., November 10 ~  
  
Hmm...Should be doing work right now...But am not. Nothing else is new. Huh. My job is so boring. My life is so boring –  
  
Aak. Stupid paper airplane memos. Whenever they come into my office, they always seem to aim straight for my head.  
  
Ooh. Alicia wants to see me. Must be about my column! Ooh I can't wait!  
  
~ 9: 45 A.M. ~  
  
I love my job! I love my boss! I love my life!  
  
When I went into Alicia's office, she was all smiling. "Ginny, remember how you asked me about your advice column last week?"  
  
Remember? How could I forget?!  
  
"Yes, well we don't exactly have any space for a column in Teen Witch at the moment..."  
  
This was the part where I got upset. What was she doing leading me on, smiling, if she wasn't going to give me the column? Did she take pleasure in other people's pain? Maniacal bitch. I almost said that out loud.  
  
"Oh," I said instead, speaking slowly so as not to say something I'd regret (see the "maniacal bitch" part). "Well – well then, I'll just get back to work. Lots to do! Very busy!" I said in a falsely cheery voice.  
  
"Wait, I'm not finished, Ginny," Alicia said, still smiling. What, is she going to fire me today too?  
  
"Ginny," she continued, over my train of thought, "remember how I was helping to fill a space in the Daily Prophet?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
Alicia was still smiling. My god, for someone so angry all the time, when she's in a good mood she looks like she slept with a clothes hanger in her mouth. "Ginny! The Daily Prophet!"  
  
"Yeah..." I still did not see where this was going to.  
  
"I talked to my friend in the Entertainment and Life section! They have space for you in the Daily Prophet! They're giving you a column!"  
  
And that's when it sunk in. "The Daily Prophet?" It felt like my heart skipped a beat. "They did? Really?" So that's why she was smiling.  
  
"I know! I told them about how you helped me, and they read some of your work of course, and they need to fill the space anyway, and – oh it's just so great! One of the writers even said they had a friend or a second cousin or something that you advised once!"  
  
"Did I really? Who?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know, Billy-Jo, Billy-Bob, who cares!" Alicia was standing up now, she looked so excited. "You've got a column with the Daily Prophet now!"  
  
I couldn't help it now. I was jumping up and down like a schoolgirl. "The Daily Prophet! I can't believe it! A newspaper! That actual people read, not just stupid teenagers who only care about celebrities!"  
  
Alicia stopped jumping. "What?"  
  
"Um...The Daily Prophet! Yay!" I gave her a hug and hopped out of her office.  
  
Gosh, I just can't believe it! The Daily Prophet! THE DAILY PROPHET!!! Who would have thought it, really? Me, Ginny Weasley! Journalist for a silly teen magazine...and now...reporter for The Daily Prophet!  
  
Well, not exactly a reporter. At least not yet!  
  
And the best part is (besides double the income – my Teen Witch job plus Daily Prophet) I get to do something I actually like! I'm getting paid for my hobby!  
  
I'm sure I can put up with this Teen Witch job, because with my column holding me over, everything will be just so much better!  
  
I just have to tell everyone!  
  
~ 11: 38 P.M. ~  
  
OK. I've just finished telling everyone about my new job! And now I've got a date for Friday night!  
  
Well. I didn't tell everyone. The first person I told was Harry, since he gave me the idea originally.  
  
Actually, Harry's more like the fifth person. Because I told my parents first. And Charlie and George, because they were there. I might have told a few more of my brothers also, I don't quite recall....  
  
But anyway. Not important. So I went over to Harry's house, and started knocking on the door. "Harry, Harry, guess what, guess what!"  
  
"Hold on, I'm coming." I could hear him unlocking the door, and god, it was taking him forever. I mean, this is what wands are for.  
  
"Hurry up, Harry!" I shouted through the door. "I've got something to tell you –"  
  
The door was thrown open, and I couldn't help but giggle. There was the famous Harry Potter, standing there proudly in his pajamas!  
  
"What?" he said then looked down. "Oh." He rolled his eyes, but laughed too. I suppose it isn't a big deal, it's not particularly embarrassing or anything. Just. . .funny. It was pretty early, too...So much for a wild, bachelor lifestyle.  
  
"So what is it you wanted to tell me?" he said, which led me to immediately stop laughing.  
  
"I got the column!" I exclaimed, jumping up and down (I had been doing that all day). "The column that you told me to start! And you'll never guess where it's in!"  
  
"Um...Teen Witch?" he guessed. "I thought that would have been a given."  
  
"No! Even better! The Daily Prophet!"  
  
"That's great, Ginny! How did that happen?"  
  
"Oh, it's just so wonderful, Alicia has a friend or a cousin? Hmm, well she knows somebody at The Prophet, who works in the Life section, and had a space for me and – oh it's just so exciting!" I jumped up and hugged him. "Thanks so much, Harry, if it wasn't for you, well I would never have had the idea for an advice column, oh thank you so much!" I said into his pajama shirt.  
  
"No problem," he said, patting my head a little awkwardly, I could tell. "It's really all you, you know, you're very good at all that love stuff."  
  
I beamed at him, finally letting go of his neck, and saw him blushing like mad. I laughed again. He always gets so embarrassed around girls still!  
  
"Well, must dash, Harry, more people to tell!" I was about to reach for the door handle, but he stopped me.  
  
"Wait," he said, stopping my hand. "We should celebrate. Do you want to have dinner? Say, Friday night?"  
  
I smiled. I haven't had dinner out in a long time. "That sounds lovely, Harry."  
  
"I'll see you at seven?"  
  
"Or how about seven-thirty?"  
  
"Works for me."  
  
"Okay," I said. "See you Friday!" I Disapparated happily out.  
  
OK, so my date on Friday isn't exactly a date. But it can sound like a date when I let it slip to Lavender that I'm having a night out. She needn't know who it's with.  
  
~ Wed., Nov. 12 ~  
  
The advert for my new column was in today's paper! It's so exciting!  
  
Coming soon to the Life/Entertainment Section  
Madam Match!  
Have love troubles?  
Madam Match is the advice expert in matters of the heart.  
Send your owls to Madam Match!  
  
Isn't that amazing? They call me Madam Match! It makes me sound so wise, doesn't it?  
  
~ 10: 29 A.M. ~  
  
Ooh! I've already got an owl! Gosh, this is going to be great!  
  
"Dear Madam Match. I am in quite a predicament. I have been having an affair behind my husband's back with a wonderful, brilliant man. However, I have just found out that my husband is also having an affair -- but with another man! I'm not sure whether this means he is a bisexual or a homosexual, but it is not even the worse part. The lover of my husband turns out to be the brother of – "  
  
OH MY LORD! Are all my letters going to be like this??!!  
  
Oh. Pooh. I just flipped the letter over. It's from Fred, as a prank.  
  
~ 1: 24 P.M. ~  
  
So far no letters, besides Fred's terribly disturbing one.  
  
Wait, an owl's coming by!  
  
Oh no. It's gone over to Emma Worth's window. Hope it eats her stupid pink cardigan.  
  
Ooh! Here comes another owl!  
  
Durr. It's only an advert. God, if I wanted to buy a new set of robes, wouldn't I go out and just buy it myself?! I don't need a reminder!  
  
~ 1: 27 P.M. ~  
  
Although now that I think of it, a new dress robe or something couldn't hurt. There are probably loads of writing awards I could win someday. And the ceremonies would probably be real fancy. I should get prepared.  
  
~ 6: 47 P.M. ~  
  
Aah. That was fun. Shopping should be an official sport. It wouldn't be as popular as Quidditch, but it's something I could go pro at.  
  
Well I bought some nice robes, one slightly dressy. And I bought a little something out in Muggle London and Soho, a nice dress. I think I'll wear it on Friday with Harry.  
  
Wow, it looks like lots of post has arrived! Wow, sent right to my flat! I suppose they want me to start working right now!  
  
Let's hope these letters aren't as atrocious as Fred's.  
  
"Dear Madam Match. I have an unrequited love and –"  
  
Hmm. That's a bit boring. There are so many in the pile, I'm sure it might be fine to chuck that one for now. If they really need help, I can write back to them later. Right now, my column needs an interesting start.  
  
"Dear Madam Match. I fell in love years ago, and I was happier than I ever thought I could be. But then in one night, the person I loved was taken away from me. It's been ten years since then, but I can't seem to move on. I've tried dating others, but all I can think of is him. I feel guilty, like I'm trying to replace him. How can I forget about him? Signed, Trying to Move On."  
  
Oh. That's so sad! Gosh, how am I supposed to do this? Hmm.  
  
Dear Trying. It's sad, what you had to go through with, and understandable how you'd be feeling guilty. However, don't think of it as trying to replace or forget about him. After all, I'm sure you could never really do that. You shouldn't force yourself to look for other loves because when the right one comes along, you'll know it. And I'm sure your loved one would want you to be happy.  
  
Hmm. I think that's good.  
  
"Dear Madam Match. I've been with my husband for several years, ever since I got out of school. I love him very much, but when he is upset, he becomes abusive. He really is of a sweet disposition, and I don't want to leave him. We have a comfortable life and a child together. But could there be something better for me? Signed, Dependent."  
  
Ooh. Interesting. Gosh, I wonder if I know any of these people! Because they don't know it's me, do they?  
  
Dear Dependent. Are you sure you don't want to leave him? Maybe you are just too afraid to. Maybe you should start being independent. If your child's and your safety is endangered, you should certainly try to get help. You shouldn't have to rely on and put up with abuse from your husband.  
  
You know what? I think I'm going to be really good at this.  
  
A/N: Aah, the end is near :'( well at least I hope it is. I feel like I've dragged you all on much too long. 


	11. Meaningless

A/N: Hehe. I'm loving Ginny right now. I like her sort of. . .unawareness? Ignorance? Hmm. I haven't found the word for it yet. But I don't know if people catch it. How she just says something completely. . . contradictory? Sort of. I'll find a way to explain it someday!  
  
Wow! SiriuslyDelirious actually caught it! I did base one of the letters from Madam Match on Cho. Ahaha I think Cho is cool :D I must be the only one in the world who does...  
  
OK, well anyway, I'm sorry I didn't update sooner. I did say a week but...I honestly forgot :( Oops.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't feel like it today.  
  
~ Thurs., Nov. 13 ~  
  
Wow this advice-column stuff is really quite fun! More fun than Teen Witch will ever be. I can't wait to see my column come out! Should be in a few weeks or so.  
  
Hmm. I should be writing an article right now.  
  
But I don't really want to!  
  
So what else is new?  
  
Here comes Emma. Oh bugger...Probably to get on my case about being late this morning. God, can't she ever just let things go?  
  
~ Fri., Nov. 14 ~  
  
"Dear Madam Match. This girl that I've loved for, a while I suppose, is about to marry this guy, who is completely wrong for her. I don't think this is just my emotions interfering; he really is a terrible person. I feel like I could treat her much better, but she has no idea about my feelings for her. What do I tell her? Signed, Wants to Help Her."  
  
Dear Wants. Your situation reminds me of someone's I know. And if he would just listen to me, I would tell him to tell her exactly what is wrong with her fiancé. Whether he is a Muggle who hates all magical peoples, or just a really bad dresser, some people are so blind with love that they can't see the faults. Let her decide if these problems are really worth calling off the wedding for. And if they are, well that's when you swoop in and tell her your feelings for her (with appropriate timing, of course). Otherwise, you've sort of missed your chance (sorry!).  
  
Gosh, I felt really bad writing this one. The poor boy. Reminds me of George...  
  
I wonder if it will get edited.  
  
~ 11: 58 P.M. ~  
  
Just came back from dinner with Harry! Very fun. He took me to some nice restaurant and...well I don't really remember much about those kind of details. But I had a great time!  
  
And I might have had a few drinks. But it's not that big a deal, I take to alcohol very well. I'm not one of those people who get pissed and then do something stupid.  
  
Wow. But I'm feeling a bit woozy. Maybe I'll just lie down a little –  
  
~ ??? ~  
  
Oh shit. What time is it?! Oh god, I bet I'm late for work! Oh my god, WHAT TIME IS IT???  
  
OK. Have to calm down. Can't be too late, the sun's out. Except usually when I wake up, the sky is gray. . .  
  
WHERE IS MY WATCH? ACCIO ACCIO ACCIO!!!!!  
  
Hmm. Seems like the Summoning Charm doesn't work too well without a wand.  
  
~ Sat., Nov. 15 ~  
  
OK. It's not that bad. It's a Saturday, at least, so I am not late for work. I HAVE no work! Goody!  
  
And so...well, it is noonish. And I...I'm trying to remember what I did yesterday, but my head hurts like hell. Hmm.  
  
Oh yes, dinner with Harry, says so right up there. And. . . oh dear.  
  
I think I had much more than "a few drinks". Unless "a few" can also mean "an insane amount of". Which it doesn't.  
  
Oh god, and the night was going perfectly! He was walking me home and asking me all about my column and I was telling him all about the letters I had gotten so far. And I was talking about how I was having such a great time and he said he was too and he said that he'd love to do this more often and I said I would too and then –  
  
Oh god. And then I kissed him. Oh my god.  
  
It was only an accident! I was pissed, I can't be responsible for my actions! Oh my god oh my god. I don't think anything else happened. DID IT?!  
  
No. I'm sure Harry wouldn't have let anything happen. I mean, it's just wrong. We're so close, if I didn't' have any brothers, he would probably be one of them. Except I do, I have – one, two, -- god, I don't want to count right now, but I have several brothers who just might hurt Harry if they find out what happened!  
  
But if we're so close then why – oh why – why did we start making out?  
  
Oh my lord.  
  
How could Harry let this happen?! I'm pretty sure he didn't drink last night –  
  
Did he? We both had a bit of wine, but I probably had more – god I'm so stupid, I should put myself in rehabilitation right now, right this instant.  
  
I – I don't remember. He could have been drunk. It could have all been a stupid, drunken moment. Whew. That's good.  
  
What am I saying? Of course that's not good! Except it means that it didn't mean anything. Is that good?  
  
Yes. Yes, of course it is. Of course it's good that it didn't mean anything. Because, that would just be weird. I mean, imagine if we starting dating or something and got married and had children and even though he'd be a wonderful father and husband and –  
  
OK. I've got to stop. As soon as I find my toothbrush, I am going straight to Harry's to figure out what happened.  
  
~ 1: 56 P.M. ~  
  
So I was knocking on his door once again, and he opened it, in his pajamas again. But I didn't laugh this time.  
  
"Hey," he said, looking sleepy, but still all smiley and stuff. Alcohol must have a long-lasting (and queer) effect on him. "Just woke up then? Me too –"  
  
"Yes," I said, striding past him into his flat. "About last night."  
  
"What about last night?" he said, still grinning like crazy. Like he was trying to make me feel bad about this or something.  
  
"I – I'm sorry!"  
  
"Wha-- ?"  
  
I held up a hand so I could continue. "I'm sorry, everything was all my fault, the kiss, the kissing, everything, it was just one meaningless, drunken moment, I was really pissed, and I'm so sorry. Ugh, it was all my fault. . .I ordered the wine and – and -- "  
  
"Oh. Um, yeah," he said slowly. "Meaningless... meaningless, drunken moment. Of course. I understand... But—but you didn't have that much wine last night, did you?"  
  
I felt like I was going to cry. "I – I guess I don't take to alcohol that well. Please, I'm so sorry. Please don't hate me."  
  
"Oh. Oh — oh of course, Ginny, I could never hate you." He wrapped his arms around me. "It's not your fault, it's not a big deal," he said, patting my hair. "Like you said, it was just one, meaningless... drunken..."  
  
"Can we still be friends?" I said into his nightshirt.  
  
"Yes, yes, of course." He was still smoothing out my hair, and I could hear his heartbeat. I could feel my heartbeat too.  
  
After about a minute or so, I realized that his shirt was soaked from my tears. "Oh, oh, sorry," I said, moving away from him.  
  
"That's alright."  
  
"Well – well I should get going now, I guess."  
  
"Yeah. I guess."  
  
"So. Um, bye."  
  
"Wait!" He touched my shoulder. "Unless – unless you want to stay a little while? I can make you some coffee."  
  
"Um..." I bit my lip. "I think I should go. Bye."  
  
"Yeah... Bye."  
  
The weird thing is... I really wanted to stay.  
  
~ 2: 00 P.M. ~  
  
It can't mean anything? Can it?  
  
~ 2: 55 P.M. ~  
  
Gosh, I should have known this! I'm Madam Match!  
  
I think I just feel like...like I want a boyfriend right now. Yes. And I'm just letting my feelings out on the nearest available guy. Enter Harry.  
  
~ 3: 26 P.M. ~  
  
I wonder what kind of soap he uses...  
  
What am I saying?!  
  
~ 3: 48 P.M. ~  
  
Well it smelled really good...  
  
A/N: SQUEAL! I thought of the soap thing just now because I smell something really good. I think it's lotion, though. Mmm. Must get some! BRB. 


	12. Feelings

A/N: I dunno if you guys think I forgot about some sub-plots of the story (like Alicia's little problem). But I didn't :D I think I'll put it all in my next story.  
  
Disclaimer: The characters and all the stuff you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling. And don't you forget it.  
  
~ Mon., Nov. 17 ~  
  
"Dear Madam Match. My boyfriend cheated on me. He had an affair. Everyone's been telling me to dump him – I even thought I was going to. But every time I talk to him or see him, I just change my mind. I think I still love him. But I don't want to get hurt anymore. What should I do? Signed, Unsure."  
  
Dear Unsure. It seems that if you've written to me asking whether to leave your boyfriend or not, then you are probably not in love with him. If you were in love with him, none of this would matter to you, would it? Besides, he made you so unhappy by cheating on you. Would you really want to spend the rest of your life with him?  
  
Is it just me, or. . . well that letter just suddenly reminded me of Padma and Michael.  
  
I completely forgot about them!  
  
~ 5: 42 P.M. ~  
  
Wow! I just got an owl from Harry! He wants to take me out to dinner – again!  
  
Gosh, I'm so glad that he isn't mad about the whole kissing thing last week. I was so embarrassed.  
  
He really is such a wonderful person, to not be upset at me. He's so kind and sweet and –  
  
~ 6: 05 P.M. ~  
  
Mental note to self: Stop writing in this same bar. Whenever I do, Lavender somehow finds me and reads over my shoulder.  
  
Does my diary have a magnet on it that attracts her copious jewelry? Or maybe a tracking spell or something.  
  
"And what, dear?" she said, pointing to my last sentence up there.  
  
"Aaaugh! What do you want Lavender?!"  
  
"Hmph, just doing a bit of reading," she said, sitting down next to me and pulling out a compact. "But go ahead. Finish your sentence. And what?"  
  
"And nothing!"  
  
"Hah!" She closed her compact with a click. "I bet not! You like him, don't you?"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Admit it, Ginny Weasley, you like Harry Potter!"  
  
"Why of course I do! He's a very good friend—"  
  
"You know what I mean. You can't stop thinking about him, can you? In fact – I bet you're thinking of him right now!"  
  
"What, no I'm not!"  
  
"Yes you are."  
  
"No – no, I'm --"  
  
"Well then what are you thinking about?"  
  
"I'm—I'm thinking of – socks!"  
  
"Socks?"  
  
"I mean stocks!"  
  
"Face it, Ginny. The proof is right there." She points to my notebook. "You can't stop thinking about his kindness and his sweetness and his soft, soft lips --"  
  
"Lavender! Honestly, what makes you think that?!"  
  
"Well you turned redder than a sunburned albino when I mentioned his name!"  
  
"Sunburned albino?! – listen, Lavender!" I sputtered. "Listen, Lavender, you don't know what you're talking about. Maybe I'm just naturally rosy! And maybe I was talking about how nice he is, but I certainly was not thinking about – about his lips or any other part of his body!" Till now, I added to myself.  
  
Lavender smirked. "If that's what you say, Ginny dear."  
  
"Wha – wha?! – Fine! Okay, maybe I have a little, itsy-bitsy, microscopic crush on him, but it means nothing. NOTHING." She was still smirking. "Lavender Brown, it means NOTHING."  
  
"Gosh, what are you doing admitting this to me all of a sudden, Ginny?" She opened her eyes in feigned shock. "It's just so out-of-the- blue!"  
  
"What?! What the—"  
  
"You kissed him, there has to be something behind it."  
  
"I'm lost. What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
"Fine. Let's talk about something else," she said, still smirking. I don't know why. I really was confused.  
  
Okay, maybe I do have some feelings for Harry. Maybe it did start after the kiss. But gosh, they don't mean anything, and they'll just go away! Really! Like my theory: I just need a. . . something to hone my hormones on. Maybe I've read too many romance novels or something, but honestly! It'll go away. They're just silly feelings that. . . that. . . wow. I'm confused.  
  
"Well anyway, Lavender." I decided to change the subject. "So what happened with Padma and Michael? I thought you said they broke up."  
  
"What?" She looked taken aback. "They did."  
  
"Well I saw them walking together a few weeks ago."  
  
"What?! Maybe it was a mistake—"  
  
"I'm pretty sure it was them."  
  
"No. . . Padma broke up with him a long time ago. She said she did, right after I told her about . . . the incident."  
  
"Maybe she didn't."  
  
"Why wouldn't she?"  
  
"Maybe . . . maybe she didn't want to. Maybe she thought she still loved him. . ."  
  
"What on earth are you talking about?"  
  
"Nothing. Um, I've got to go Lavender. Byee!"  
  
And then. . . I left.  
  
~ Tues., Nov. 18 ~  
  
Well today's my date with Harry.  
  
I mean, dinner.  
  
Hmm. What to wear?  
  
~ 6: 59 P.M. ~  
  
I shouldn't really be this excited, should I? I mean, it's only Harry.  
  
Yep. Only Harry. . .  
  
Only Harry Potter. . .  
  
You know, he probably doesn't even feel the same way. Not that I feel anything, really, but . . . but if I was kind of feeling something, he probably isn't feeling anything at all. Maybe disgust, if he knew. I mean, I'm his best friend's little sister.  
  
Come on, Ginny, remember the last time you liked him? You made a fool out of yourself . . . And that's never fun. You don't want to do it again. . .  
  
Then maybe I should never have agreed to go out to dinner with him. . .  
  
~ 10: 04 P.M. ~  
  
Oh my god.  
  
Padma Patil ran into my flat (well I opened the door, first) crying.  
  
"Don't tell Parvati or Lavender or – or anybody this!"  
  
"Wha --"  
  
"They all thought I broke up with him! And so I didn't know who to talk to! But – but—I can't!"  
  
"Can't what?"  
  
"Break up with Michael!"  
  
Oh.  
  
"Why NOT?"  
  
"I – I just – oh, Ginny, we were supposed to get married! And to break up with him – it'd be just like starting over!"  
  
"Is that the only reason?"  
  
"No – no – I'm just – I don't – what if I'm making a mistake? What if I love him, and I'm throwing him away for a little tiny error in judgment?"  
  
"Padma. Padma. Do you hear what you're saying? He – he did a bad thing." I was not about to mention that the bad thing extended far past a move on Lavender. "He doesn't deserve you!"  
  
Padma sniffled. "Don't you ever worry that – that you'll just end up dying alone, never getting married?"  
  
Every day.  
  
"Not at all! Trust me, there is a right person out there for everybody. And for you, Michael definitely was not him."  
  
"Thanks Ginny. Can I – can I hang out for awhile?"  
  
I checked my watch. I had half an hour to go before my date – er, meeting with Harry. Perhaps I could make it.  
  
"Sure of course. Just for a bit."  
  
THREE TEAR-FILLED HOURS LATER. . .  
  
Oh god. And now here I am. The whole time I was just wondering when Padma would stop crying, and if Harry would be upset at me for being late. "Ten minutes late . . . half an hour late . . ." Until it suddenly became "An hour-forty-five late." Oh god. . .  
  
It took, seriously an eternity, for Padma to decide that she was okay. And it took her even longer to thank me. I wanted to shout "God, woman! You want to thank me? You can thank me by LEAVING!"  
  
But of course I didn't. Damn etiquette rules. Like no yelling at guests.  
  
So after she (finally) left I Apparated as fast as I could to the restaurant we were supposed to meet at.  
  
"Harry? Is Harry Potter here?" I called out to no one in particular. They ignored me. Which makes sense, I suppose. I mean, I was just some girl with messed up hair that didn't have time to be brushed, and a tear- stained jacket from Padma crying all over, calling out for some famous wizard.  
  
Once I was sure he wasn't there, I Apparated over to his apartment and started knocking on the door.  
  
And no one answered.  
  
And now, here I am, sitting at home alone when I was supposed to be out with Harry and . . . God, I just hope he isn't mad. I mean, I know I was . . . extremely late, but. . . I really did want to be there!  
  
God, everything is just so hectic all of a sudden. Why did Padma have to come to me? I mean, besides being the only one she felt she could talk to and supposedly giving really good advice. Sometimes I wish people would just realize what a cow I am and leave me alone!  
  
Ugh. . . hopefully he won't be too mad. . .  
  
A/N: She seems frustrated. . . 


	13. Sensitivity

A/N: I know it's going fast. I'm impatient.  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. Except for Ginny's personality which she barely receives in canon. . .  
  
~ Wed., Nov. 19 ~  
  
God.  
  
I can't believe him! He didn't have to be so rude!  
  
Ohhh . . . I went to Harry's again today, to apologize for yesterday. And he got so mad at me! He thought I stood him up!  
  
"Harry, Harry, it's me, Ginny! Please, open up!" No answer. "Please, Harry!" Still no answer. "Harry, it's starting to rain really hard now, could you please let me in?!"  
  
"What." It wasn't a question, really. It was more like a rather rude greeting, so that in case the expression on his face didn't prove anything, his tone did.  
  
Despite his demeanor, however, when I looked at him, I just . . . it felt like my heart jumped.  
  
"Um . . ." I faltered. I hadn't expected him to be so . . . stony. "I'm really sorry about last night; I know I was really late, but you see, my friend, she --"  
  
"Just – just don't worry about it."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said just forget about it."  
  
"But – but, Harry, I –"  
  
"Why? It's not a big deal. I mean, obviously something else was more important."  
  
"What?! No, no, it wasn't 'more important' – I mean, it was important, but – but she just wouldn't leave and –"  
  
"Well it was so important that you stood me up for it."  
  
"Hey, I didn't 'stand you up', I –"  
  
"Well you didn't call, did you?"  
  
I paused. "No . . . no, I didn't," I said, flushing. "I guess I could've, but – but you see –"  
  
"You know, I should be getting to work soon."  
  
"Look, you don't understand –"  
  
"What else is there to get? I mean, I'm just Harry. I'm not important, it's not like I'm Alan or something."  
  
I just gaped. "Wha – wha – why are you bringing him into this?" God, I can't believe him! "I can't believe you! What is this about, really?"  
  
"I've got to go now. And I think you should too."  
  
"Fine!" I stomped over to his door, and threw it open. "And by the way," I said, my hand still on the doorknob. "His name's Alair." And then I slammed the door shut.  
  
God, what is his problem, really? It was so random, all of sudden he got mad at me! He wouldn't even let me explain! I don't get him at all, that stupid, stupid Harry Potter. Stupid stupid git.  
  
I mean, honestly! What was all that about?  
  
~ 8: 29 P.M. ~  
  
"Really, since when has Harry become so – so –"  
  
"Sensitive?"  
  
"No! Well, a bit."  
  
I love being at Ron's and Hermione's. It's so nice to have people to talk to, who listen to my problems, instead of asking me to fix theirs.  
  
Well usually it's nice. But not when they disagree with you.  
  
"Come on, Ginny, Harry's always had a temper, you know that."  
  
"Ron, you weren't there! He was so mad at me, and I hadn't even done anything!"  
  
"Um, you stood him up, didn't you?"  
  
"For the last time, I was just running a little late!"  
  
Ron took a sip of his tea. "Well, the way Harry is, he gets really upset when something's picking at him for a very long time. Maybe you took too long to apologize, and he was just sitting there, stewing it over in his mind. . ."  
  
"How long was he waiting for you, anyway?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Erm, I dunno, maybe about two hours?"  
  
"Two hours?!"  
  
"Well – well," I tried to defend myself. It didn't really work. "Okay, fine, it was horrible, of course he should be mad at me! Yet at the same time – something about the things he said. It was just so unfair."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Like – like – he brought up Alair, of all things. I mean why – why?!"  
  
"I didn't even know he met Alair."  
  
"Yes, he did at Dean's wedding or something, I dunno, when we danced but anyway, it just wasn't fair! He wouldn't even listen to anything I said, I was trying to explain what happened!"  
  
"Why are you so upset with Harry, really?" asked Ron. "I mean, you get in rows with people all the time, shouldn't you be used to it?" Grrr.  
  
"I do not get in rows with people all the time, and I just thought he was very rude! Well you know, I think I'll be going home now. Bye Hermione, Ron."  
  
The last thing I saw before Apparating was Ron rolling his eyes.  
  
~ 9:58 P.M. ~  
  
I mean, I have a reason to be angry, right? Why couldn't he just forgive me so we could get on with our lives?  
  
And one more thing. I hate the way he treats me like a little kid! Like by . . . by . . . by asking me how I am and trying to make me feel better. I mean, god, how insensitive is he?!  
  
And I hate how his hair always sticks up, no matter what you do with it.  
  
~ 10: 52 P.M. ~  
  
OK. Those are silly reasons to be mad at someone. But . . . isn't he being a little . . .  
  
You know what? I'm just going to forget about it. I don't need dumb Harry Potter. He was a terrible friend anyway. He completely overreacted and . . . ugh. FORGET IT. I'M GONNA FORGET IT.  
  
~ 3: 57 A.M. ~  
  
GAAAAAAAAAH. I've had a terrible dream! It must have been because all my fuming over Harry, but . . . I had a dream that I kissed him. AGAIN!  
  
Now I don't really feel like writing about this. Bad memories. I don't know what is wrong with me . . . maybe I just want sex or something . . . Well, I don't need Harry for that, I can get sex whenever I want . . . or not.  
  
Ugh. I have problems.  
  
~ Thurs., Nov. 20 ~  
  
Haven't been thinking about Harry at all. Not at all, nope! Stupid git . . . In fact, Tonk's and Mr. Lupin's wedding is coming up. I have to write a speech! I wonder what to write? Well I'm not worried; I'm very good at public speaking. And writing; after all, I'm a journalist! This should b e easy for me. I'll start right now. . .  
  
Remus and Tonks. . . I know tons about them. This'll be great. . . really great. . .  
  
Well, maybe I should take a break, so I can start fresh.  
  
~ 11: 15 A.M. ~  
  
I met Tonks and Remus when. . .  
  
Wait. When did I meet them?  
  
~ 11: 30 A.M. ~  
  
OK. Here goes:  
  
I met Tonks and Remus a long time ago –  
  
Wait, does that sound like they're old or something?  
  
Okay, maybe I'll just pick a different opening sentence.  
  
~ 11: 56 A.M. ~  
  
Remus and Tonks were meant to be together (ooh, that's really good!). They're personality completely complements each other, as they . . . ?  
  
You know, I've got tons of other things to do. I can save this for later. 


	14. The Reunion

A/N: Was the last chapter too short?  
  
Disclaimer: Yeah you know.

* * *

  
  
Fri., Nov. 21   
  
Oh my god. The wedding. It's in about a week and I haven't got a speech!  
  
OK, I shouldn't be panicking. A week is ample time to write a speech and memorize it. They said it would be a short one, and no one really likes those long monologues at weddings anyway. I have no need to worry.  
  
Except. Well you see, the thing is...I've never really been that good at public speaking. You'd think I would be, considering how I like to talk and all, but...I just get really nervous when I have to speak in front of a lot of people that I don't really know. And I have trouble memorizing things. . .  
  
Oh god. I just need to calm down. A week is plenty of time to write a speech, memorize it, and get over my fear of public speaking. Plenty of time...Time is all I have. I'm thinking of going on holiday for a bit.  
  
Oh, who am I kidding?! I'm gonna die up there!

* * *

  
  
Mon., Nov. 24   
  
"Dear Madam Match. I'm about to get married to a wonderful man. But my daughter is having trouble accepting him. Her father passed away a decade ago, but she thinks of the marriage as 'replacing' him. I want to respect my daughter's wishes, yet at the same time, should I be expected to give up my happiness? Signed, Almost Married Mother."  
  
Dear Almost. You should by no means give up your wedding because of your daughter's hostility towards your future husband. She needs to do something called Moving On –  
  
Hmm. This might be a little too harsh. I think I'm in a bit of a crabby mood today. Everything seems to be coming out wrong.  
  
Like this morning, I was talking to Seamus this morning and he was teasing me about my new column.  
  
He was saying something like "If you're so good at giving love advice, then why can't you get a boyfriend?" And he said it all jokingly and all, but I just blew up at him.  
  
"Ooh! Well maybe I'm too ugly or too stupid and I'll just live as an old maid forever! Well you know what, Seamus, you're not that good-looking either! And you're a 23-year-old wizard and you work for a magazine! A teenage girl's magazine!"  
  
Seamus just stared back, dumbfounded. "Christ, Ginny, I was only joking," he said, his eyebrows raised. And then he left.  
  
God. I don't know what got into me. I can't believe I said something so stupid and so mean. I just started yelling at him! Poor Seamus. He's not that bad.  
  
Huh. Perhaps I shall try being nice and kind and considerate. It's a lot better than being mean and bitchy. People like it a whole lot more.  
  
I think the no-boyfriend thing really struck a chord on me...Durr.

* * *

Thurs., Nov. 27   
  
God, I've been so busy lately. It may or may not have something to do with technically having two jobs, but I think if I just rough it through, everything will be okay. And it'll all be worth it when the column comes out.  
  
Oh! Some good news! I met up with my old friend, Luna Lovegood. I haven't seen her in such a long time; it was odd how she all of a sudden popped up – practically out of nowhere!  
  
I was out on McCarthey Street during lunch break, looking in the windows of the old-fashioney shops and thinking of buying something to eat (which I didn't – in all the excitement I forgot to get something and now I'm a little bit hungry).  
  
Well outside of some (creepy-looking) apothecary, someone called my name!  
  
"Ginny! Ginny Weasley!"  
  
"Hmm?" I squinted real hard at her; I had trouble recognizing the face. I finally remembered her from that dream I had a long time ago (Eugh! That reminds me – Harry Potter. Eugh!). "Luna? Is that you?"  
  
"Of course it's me," she said seriously. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I was just going to get something to eat," I said, but Luna made a funny face.  
  
"Here?" she said, pointing to the apothecary.  
  
"No no! There's a nice little café down the corner. You've never been there?"  
  
"No. This is my first time in this area. I came here to buy food for my pet horklump. I'm afraid he's gained a big of weight, and this is the only place I know of that sells a diet brand."  
  
"Err. . . right," I said, "Isn't that the mushroom thing – the gnome feed?"  
  
Luna glared. "They need help! They're almost extinct!"  
  
"Right, right, that sounds...lovely. Well what have you been up to lately?"  
  
"Oh, I've kept myself busy. Have you ever been to Western Samoa?"  
  
"Um, no. But I might know someone who has been." Well, I think one of my cousins went there. Or maybe it was San Marino. Where is that, anyway?  
  
"Really? Have they marched through a habitat of taro there? Because you haven't really lived until you've done so."  
  
"Erm, I don't know. I'll ask. It sounds quite – quite fun."  
  
"Oh, it is. But of course you have to be careful. Pranksters like to set off volcanoes – and you never know where some are located."  
  
"Oh. Right. Well what were you doing in Western...Samoa, anyway?"  
  
"I was giving this delightful presentation to the islanders on protecting the ramora. I want to educate as many people as possible!"  
  
"Of course," I say, with no clue as to what she's talking about. How come I don't know this stuff? Did they teach it in Care of Magical Creatures class? Did I even take Care of Magical Creatures? It was too long ago...Ugh. I feel old.  
  
"Anyway," continued Luna, "I think they really enjoyed my speech. Some people were moved to tears," she said seriously.  
  
"Really?" I ask, interested. "You gave a speech? You wrote it yourself?"  
  
"Of course," she said, "It was the one I always use."  
  
"And you say – you say it made people cry???"  
  
"Just get a little teary-eyed. Once someone was so moved by it, she Apparated right out into the middle of the Indian Ocean, just so she could 'save them herself'. It was very successful, though. I don't think she could swim too well."  
  
"Oh!"  
  
"Oh no, she just got a little wet, her wand got snapped in the water. Had a load of trouble explaining to Muggle authorities what she was doing out there, but in the end she was fine."  
  
"Um, yes. But also, I have to get back to work now! I'm sorry, I didn't even realize the time!"  
  
"Oh. Well nice running into you, Ginny –"  
  
"Wait! Luna, we should go out for lunch or something together. Don't want to lose touch again, now, right?"  
  
"Oh! Well, sure, I guess –"  
  
"Great! I'm free any afternoon this week, ooh how about Friday!"  
  
"That's tomorrow, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes, but I'm just so excited to do some catching-up with you!"  
  
"Oh, okay."  
  
"So how about I meet you at one at the café down the corner I showed you?"  
  
"Okay –"  
  
"Great! – Well really must dash! Completely lost track of time with all this conversing we have done!" And then I walked briskly back to the office.  
  
Okay, so lunch with Luna. She's really quite nice. And hopefully...hopefully, she can help me write a wonderful, moving speech. Or maybe write one for me?  
  
Don't get me wrong, I would write one myself, but I've just been so busy! And I'm sure Luna would love to, she loves those oratorical kinds of things, I'm sure.  
  
It does seem like I'm using her, though. . . But it's not like I'm going to make her, I'll just ask her politely. And I really do want to catch up with her and have a nice long chat. Nothing would be better!  
  
I'm just hoping she wouldn't mind helping. I mean, it's just like helping the remorowhatever. It's giving help to those who need assistance! 


	15. Lunching

**A/N:** This story is winding down. :'(  
  
**Disclaimer:** I don't feel like doing this

* * *

**Fri., Nov. 28   
**  
Well lunch with Luna was interesting. And a bit unproductive, I've now realized.  
  
I didn't exactly get to the speech-thing. You see, I didn't want to seem like the only reason I wanted to meet with her was to get her to help me (which is completely not the case, of course). So I tried to bring it into the conversation tactfully. First I tried asking her more about her presentation.  
  
Big mistake.  
  
"I can't wait to go back to Samoa!" she kept saying jovially. "You know, you should visit some time, Ginny. It's a perfect spot for holiday."  
  
"Yes, yes, so I've heard," I said for the fifth time that afternoon. "So tell me more about the conference you went to – what was your speech like?"  
  
"It was about the endangerment of the ramora," she answered, giving me a funny look, because it was probably the fifth time I had asked her that. She probably thinks me a complete halfwit or something. "They're such beautiful creatures, and their circumstance is so sad."  
  
"Yes, what a shame, what shame," I replied seriously. I decided to try another tactic: try to bring up the wedding itself. "So...kept in touch with anyone else from school?" I asked her.  
  
"Hmm. Besides you ..." She looked thoughtful. "No one."  
  
I blinked. "Not one? Just me? And we only ran into each other yesterday?"  
  
"Well, I never really found the need to. If they wanted to talk to me, they would seek me out, wouldn't they?"  
  
I was surprised at her answer. Didn't she want any friends?  
  
"Besides," she continued, "I have to spend most of my time on my ramora campaign at the moment."  
  
Gosh, it was just so shocking. Here was this girl, who didn't seem to need any companionship at all! I wondered if it had something to do with being Looney Lovegood, sort of "shunned" by everyone else. I felt kind of sorry for her, but she didn't need my pity.  
  
"Our organization is really starting to make progress. But anyway, what about you? Have you been keeping up with any alumni?"  
  
"Err...well..I have a lot of sister-in-laws, I suppose."  
  
"Oh really? And what about you? Any special someone?"  
  
"Err. . . no," I said, embarrassed. "I'm ...single. And loving it!" I said in a falsely cheerful voice.  
  
"You don't quite sound like it," Luna noted thoughtfully.  
  
"Well, don't you just hate it when you're...out with married friends and they all rub it in your face how – how single you are!"  
  
"That's never happened to me before," she said placidly.  
  
"What about when you have to bring a guest for a party or something? They always expect you to bring your boyfriend, and then they jest you when you don't."  
  
"Seems like you really want a boyfriend," she said.  
  
"Yes! I do!"  
  
"But it seems like you want one only to show up to people."  
  
"What?! What do you mean?"  
  
"Well the reasons you were listing, it sounds like you want a boyfriend just to show other people you aren't completely pathetic."  
  
Gosh, well that was just mean! And so untrue, I am not pathetic! And there are loads of other reasons as to why I'm sick of being single. "There are loads of other reasons as to why I'm sick of being single!"  
  
"Like...?"  
  
"Like... Well, I don't want to be alone, you know! And...and...I don't want to become a nun!"  
  
Luna looked at me puzzled. "What?! – No look, you and – and our whole society – we put too much emphasis on not being single. You have to be attached, you have to be married by a certain age or else you're an old spinster. But it shouldn't be that way at all!"  
  
"It shouldn't?" I asked warily. "But everyone says so!"  
  
"No, no, no," she tutted. "And you, Ginny Weasley, of all people, are rushing your biological clock. You are only twenty-two years old. You don't need a boyfriend!"  
  
"I don't?"  
  
"No!"  
  
Hmm. Luna is so right. I don't need a boyfriend! I don't need one at all!  
  
No. I just want one... 

* * *

**3: 39 P.M.**   
  
Damn. I still didn't get her to help me with the speech!  
  
Sat., Nov. 29   
  
Today Ron and Hermione invited me over for lunch. It was...queer.  
  
"So," was the first thing Ron said when I came in, "I heard you and Harry got into a little spat?"  
  
I spun right around, very intent on leaving right that moment. However, Hermione pulled me back. "Now, now, come on, he's only kidding, right?" She glared at Ron.  
  
"Hmph. I only hope this wasn't the reason you called me over today," I said, all pissy.  
  
"No... no, of course not," they replied together, looking at warily at each other. Oh bugger.  
  
"I really don't want to talk about him right now!" I said huffily.  
  
"Who?" Ron inquired, in a mocking voice.  
  
"You know perfectly well who!"  
  
"Oh, come on," Hermione exclaimed. "Fine, fine, we won't talk about anything. Let's just sit down and stare at the wall."  
  
"Fine. Just the way I like it," I replied.  
  
And we did. For a few minutes, anyway.  
  
"Really, what happened?" Ron asked.  
  
"AAARGH!" I screamed, getting up from the table.  
  
"Really, Ginny, I know you told us, but... well, we just don't think you told us the whole story." Hermione looked at me meaningfully.  
  
"Then go ask Harry!" I said. I felt like sticking my tongue out at them.  
  
"We did," Ron shrugged. "But he wouldn't say anything. We were thinking you made a move on him, and he got really mad at you." Ron grinned.  
  
"NO I DID NOT!" I exclaimed, horrified. "I would never do such a – such a – perverse thing!"  
  
"Well, what happened then?"  
  
"Fine. This is the one time I'm telling you, to prove that I did not 'make a move on' Harry. I never would, really! Unless..."  
  
"Unless what?" they both asked.  
  
"Unless... highly intoxicated... See, he took me out to dinner last week, and I had a little too much wine and... and I guess I did kiss him first, but – but it was only an accident!"  
  
Ron burst out laughing. Hermione frowned. "And Harry let you? That doesn't seem like something he'd do."  
  
"Well he was very pissed too, I suppose. Yes, we both were. Because when I went to his place the next morning, he was all ...strange. He was acting very peculiar. And he was in his night clothes so...hold on." I stopped.  
  
"What?"  
  
"How come I passed out in my day clothes ...and he was somehow able to – to change into his pajamas and – and – No, that can't happen, considering how drunk we both were..."  
  
"Maybe he was wearing his night clothes underneath," Ron sniggered.  
  
"No...no...shut up, Ron," I said absently. "It just doesn't make sense."  
  
"You don't think he could have just changed when he got home?" Hermione asked.  
  
"No... we both had to have been really pissed, remember? He's not coordinated enough to do all that when his brain was all woozy."  
  
"What do you mean, coordinated enough?" Hermione asked. "Harry's very coordinated. He plays Quidditch."  
  
"No, no....he sure doesn't seem like it. He always trips and falls when we go out together. Or drops something...And befuddles his words and ..."  
  
"Paah," Ron said, smirking. "Reminds me of when he used to stalk Cho Chang. He'd always make a fool of himself in front of her."  
  
"Yes, well he never tripped when he was with us," I reminded him. "It was only because he had the most massive crush on her..." I gasped. So did Hermione.  
  
"Harry fancies... Ginny?" Ron stood up, his eyes wide.  
  
"No... no," I said, furrowing my brow.  
  
"Oh...oh, god," Ron slowly sunk back down into his chair, rubbing his forehead.  
  
"Well I think it's wonderful," Hermione said cheerfully unfazed. "It's what you've always wanted, isn't it?"  
  
"WHAT?!" Ron stood back up again. "How come I didn't know?"  
  
"No! No! It's not true!" Yet the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. Because if he wasn't drunk, then why would he let me kiss him? And kiss me back?? Maybe if he were a pervert or something. But he's not, I know he's not.  
  
"Oh my god," I said slowly. "And now – and now he must be so mad at me!"  
  
"I thought he already was –"  
  
"Because I told him that the kiss meant nothing, I was just drunk, and – and he thought it did! I remember him saying, he thought I didn't have that much wine and – and I said I don't take to alcohol well and ...oh dear." I put my head in my hands. "And now he must be really mad at me because he thinks I stood him up!"  
  
"This is all so confusing," Ron whispered to Hermione, but she shushed him.  
  
"No wonder he overreacted ..." I said to myself. "He already thinks I don't return his ardor –"  
  
"But do you?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I – I don't know," I admitted. "I mean, I always have had that teeny crush on him, but . . ." Ron moaned. "But I've spent so much time being upset at him ...I just don't know." I thought real hard, back to the time when we were going out to dinner and dancing at the wedding and when he made me feel better after Alair dumped me. And my heart thumped at the mere reminisces of him. "Perhaps..."  
  
"Perhaps, what?" Hermione and Ron both prompted eagerly.  
  
"Perhaps . . . perhaps I should go back to my flat now. Bye! Thanks for lunch!" I grabbed my wand off the table and Disapperated, just as I heard Ron say "Lunch? What lunch?" 

* * *

I'm sort of dissappointed in this story...I've never been really good at writing...emotions and stuff. It's hard to portray : (


	16. Love is

**A/N:** Just yesterday I thought I would be done by now. I think there's at least one more chapter to go! Wheee!  
  
**Disclaimer:** The characters of the story do not belong to moi, except for the ones that aren't well-written.

* * *

  
  
**Sun., Nov. 30 ****   
  
**  
Oh dear. Yesterday after visiting Ron and Hermione, I went right over to Harry's flat again. God, I had barely started knocking on his door, when it bit me! His door _bit_ me!  
  
"Ow!" I cried, rubbing my hand where it hurt. "Stupid door." It stuck its tongue out at me.  
  
"Oh, come on, Harry!" I tried yelling through the door, while keeping myself a safe distance from it. "I just want to talk!"  
  
"Ever thought he might not be home?" remarked the door sarcastically. I glared at it.  
  
"Fine, then," I said curtly (to the door!). "well you tell him I stopped by then."  
  
"Yes, of course," it sneered. Goodness, how rude!  
  
God, all I want to do is talk to Harry! Why does he keep blocking me out like this? I know he's upset, but really! How are we ever going to get past this if he won't let me see him?  
  
Really, all I want to do is talk to him.

* * *

**11:23 P.M.   
**  
GAAAH! My god, can't a woman open her window without being assailed by birds?!  
  
Stupid, great, white...thing, flew right into the room just as I opened the window.  
  
Ooh, it's got a letter. Maybe it's from Tonks, telling me I don't have to speak at the wedding tomorrow! Or maybe it's from Michael, telling me he's finally stuck his head up his ass.  
  
Or maybe it's from Harry.  
  
Damn. It's just a stupid Madam Match letter. Not that I don't want to help them, or anything, but...gosh, you get all excited when the post comes, and it just turns out to be something from work.  
  
Oh well. Maybe it'll be interesting. Maybe I'll answer it, and it will just change that person's life forever and they'll be ever so grateful to me, and will...oh whatever. I'll just answer the letter.  
  
"Dear Madam Match. I made a big mistake. I lost the girl that I love, to a stupid fight. I was just upset because I thought she never noticed me. But now I would rather have only her friendship, than for her to be mad at me. I'm really sorry for hurting her, and I hope that she will forgive me."  
  
I looked up and the white owl was still here. Like it was waiting for me to write back or something.  
  
"Sorry," I said to the owl, "but they don't see the reply until it comes out in the column." The owl didn't budge however. "What..." Maybe it's stupid, I thought to myself. I decided to ignore it and continue a response.  
  
"Dear –" Oh. He didn't sign a name. Maybe I should make one up for him. I reread the letter more carefully. That was when I realized something – the scenario was very, very familiar.  
  
And then, I looked over at the owl again. Didn't Harry have a white owl? Or, at least he did a long time ago. How long do owls live anyway?  
  
I picked up the letter, and looked over it again, this time concentrating on the handwriting. It may have been my eyes, but it did look a bit like Harry's. I didn't exactly remember what it looked like. It could be his...but also not.  
  
I don't know. Why would he send me this letter, but not want to talk to me at all? Because why else would he not answer the door when I came by?  
  
It seems like everything points to him. Or maybe I'm just willing myself to think this way. Because I still want to talk to him.  
  
I think I'll just take a short nap now. Maybe things will settle over after a bit of rest.

* * *

**Mon., Dec. 1   
**  
Oh god! This morning was such a rush! I think I was supposed to be resting my eyes for a bit, last night, but I fell asleep on my desk and woke up late! It was horrible; there was drool all over the Madam Match letters, and I had lines all over my face from sleeping on the table surface. And I had about two minutes to get ready and arrive at the wedding.  
  
And it didn't really work too well. It took me most of two minutes to peel the papers off my face. And then I had to brush my teeth and my hair and get my dress on and hope I didn't smell or anything because I didn't have time to take a shower. Then I grabbed the gift and Apparated to the church- thingy.  
  
Ten minutes later than I was supposed to be. But oh well. Weddings always start late, don't they?  
  
Yes, well it's been half an hour since I've been here, so I have no idea how long the other people have been waiting, but I am getting very impatient.  
  
Maybe I'll go check on Tonks to see how everything is going.

* * *

**4: 21 P.M.   
**  
I went over to the dressing room, and found Tonks standing in front of the mirror, by herself.  
  
"What are you looking at?" I said, peering into the mirror, too.  
  
"Do you think my hair looks too grandmother-like?"  
  
"Not at all! Keep it!"  
  
"Okay...Do you think the dress has an odd cut?"  
  
"Tonks, you picked that dress out ages ago! You never minded it before..." I narrowed my eyes at her. "This has something more to do with than hair and dresses, doesn't it? Is something wrong, Tonks?"  
  
"No, nothing's wrong! Of course not!" she said defensively. "I'm so happy and I can't wait to get married!"  
  
"Then why is the wedding taking so long to start?"  
  
"Because the minister hasn't arrived yet."  
  
"Oh." I flushed. "Sorry." So much for trying to help.  
  
After sitting in silence for a while, I asked, "Tonks?"  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"Before this...have you ever worried about...not finding The One?"  
  
"The one what?"  
  
"You know, the one person that you'd spend all your life with? The one person you want to be with forever?"  
  
"Well...no," she said thoughtfully. "I never worried about that. I always figured, whatever happens, happens. You've just gotta see where it goes."  
  
"But isn't there a certain way you want it to go? What if that way doesn't work out and you're sad and alone for the rest of your life?"  
  
"Well if that's how you want it, you can't just sit waiting for it to come to you. You've got to go out there and get it yourself. Take the chance, you know?"  
  
"I guess."  
  
Wow Tonks is so smart. She gives such great advice. Like I'm supposed to be able to do.  
  
"So are you sure there's nothing wrong, then?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
I knew it.  
  
"I'm just a tad bit gloomy over the fact that my family won't be here."  
  
Oh.  
  
"Ohh..." I said sympathetically. Of course. Tonks's parents passed away. "I'm sorry..."  
  
"Oh, no, it's not really a big deal!" She smiled at me. "Come on, now, it's only a little thing! I was surprised you even noticed!"  
  
Hmm. Maybe I am insightful. Tonks always makes me feel better!  
  
So now I'm back at the pew. Just waiting. And waiting some more. And some more –  
  
Is that Harry?

* * *

**5: 14 P.M.**   
  
Gosh, the wedding was just beautiful! The minister showed up right when I noticed Harry.  
  
He caught my eye, and I thought he would come over, but Fred called out to him. I have his letter with me. I'll ask him as soon as I can. But I don't know when that is.  
  
What if that's NEVER?!  
  
Okay, calm down. Back to wedding.  
  
Was very traditional. Got to throw rice at them as they were leaving the church. Hehe. That was fun. Except, well, I heard that that is really dangerous because birds might eat the rice and choke on it. And what if a rice gets stuck in your ear or your eye or your hair or –  
  
This isn't working. I'm on my way to the reception. Maybe I can talk to Harry then.

* * *

**6: 23 P.M.**   
  
Oh my god. I have never been more humiliated in my entire life. Not even the time I fell down every step in the entrance hall at Hogwarts. And that was six years ago. And it really hurt.  
  
But that was then. This is now. And it's even worse because I'm all grown up and I'm not supposed to do stupid things anymore. I'm supposed to be cool and sophisticated! I was waiting so long to grow up and grow out of being embarrassed and –  
  
Ugh. Well anyway, I was in line to give my blessings to the happy couple. Took awhile to get to the front. Everyone was all queued up. Well, when I finally got there, was all cheerful and friendly, and anticipating mingling with guests, as instructed to in Witch Weekly, until Tonks grabs me excitedly and says "So you'll be ready to give your toast soon, then?"  
  
And I just stood there. And gaped. The speech! I absolutely forgot about it! I hadn't even written anything. I couldn't think of anything at all!  
  
And yet I told her and Mr. Lupin, "Oh of course! I really think you'll like it! I – I practiced it real hard."  
  
"Did you?" asked Tonks eagerly.  
  
"Oh – why, yes, of course. Very diligently. I just love public speaking."  
  
Mr. Lupin laughed. "We didn't expect you to work so hard! It's just a short speech."  
  
"Oh – well, I wanted it to be perfect!" My voice was becoming high-pitched from nervousness. "This is a very important day."  
  
And before they could say anything else, I ran off to the loos to write my speech.  
  
Did you know that it's really hard to write on your hand with a quill? And even more, it's painful.  
  
Ugh. Why did I make up all those lies? Now they're expecting some great monologue that I won't be able to present because  
  
I don't have a speech Even if I did, I would probably faint from all the scary, dressed-up people looking at me.  
  
I should have just told them that I can't do it! They'd understand, I they would.  
  
I think I will just tell them now. It's my only choice.

* * *

**6: 45 P.M.**   
  
Oh my god. I did it. I actually did it! I actually gave a speech! And I didn't run off the stage crying, or make a complete fool of myself! I'm not sure people could even tell that I was making it up on the spot! It wasn't that hard. All I had to do was say what I felt.  
  
"...And now," Tonks was saying, as I sat nervously in my seat, trying to wipe away sweaty palms, "my friend Ginny Weasley, would like to say a toast. I'd like you all to know that, if it wasn't for her, I may never have met up with such a wonderful person," she said, smiling and Lupin.  
  
I slowly stood up, and raised my glass to the air. Topics for a speech began running through my head: How did you know Mr. Lupin and Tonks were right for each other? What do you think of their love? What do you think of love in general? What do you think, Ginny?  
  
I took a deep breath and cleared my head. "Here I go," I said softly to myself." I put on a smile. "The day I set up Remus and Tonks, I was very doubtful. How could two people so different get along? One was energetic, loud, boisterous, the other more subdued, laid-back, and...um, quiet." I paused, a little flustered. "Yet I was utterly surprised, their first night out, when you could see the spark between the two. This slowly grew into affection, adoration, and a strong loving bond. Their relationship proves how...spontaneous love is. It could be between two people with little in common, umm..." I searched the room and my eyes landed on Hermione and Ron. "Childhood friends who quarreled constantly! Old lovebirds, school sweethearts, love is so unpredictable!" My gaze caught Harry's. I couldn't read his expression, but I hope it wasn't anger. "And – and even friends, who never seemed to think of each other in the same way at the same time – something – something might just click one day." I swallowed. "So – so you should keep in mind that – love is a strange thing. You might have found the right person – there in front of you the whole time – but you let him go, because you were trying to guess love's plan. But – but instead, you should see where your heart takes you. Or else you might end up losing the one that you would've never guessed you wanted."  
  
Flashbacks of the past couple of months flooded back to me. I remembered how nice Harry had always been to me, yet I always chose Alair or Michael instead. I remembered how I never thought Harry could feel the same way as me. How I dismissed my thoughts of him as the same schoolgirl crush. How he is so mad at me – he must have thought I was ignorant, or knew and just using him, or...I thought of how hurt he must have been, when I called so many of the things we shared "meaningless".  
  
I'm not sure how long I had been silent, but everyone was still looking at me. I blinked back a few tears. "Congratulations to Remus and Tonks, many happy years." I lifted my glass, saw others do the same, then quickly sat back down.  
  
And then various boring things happened and now I am sitting in the ladies' loo, because it is rude to write at a dinner table.  
  
So very queer how there's a window in here. I don't suppose the builders thought of all the perverts that might look in the window as women try to have a wee or powder their faces or –  
  
Is that the top of Harry's head that I see?  
  
A/N: I don't suppose this is a cliffhanger?! Are those flames hurling towards me in the coming distance? Hmm. Well, technically, it isn't a cliffhanger, as you all can probably guess how it ends up.

Sorry I took so long to update by the way --. I'm a bad person.

Well...I think the next chapter is the last one. So...yay? Nay?


	17. Ginny Weasley, Ex Spinster

**A/N:** Today is my birthday. So in honor of my big(ish?) one-five, I am posting the very last chapter :'( Please don't cry.  
  
This story has been one of my favorite things to write! Turned out a lot longer than I expected, of course, but next time I shall be better. I can't wait to write a sequel (run while you can!), but I'm changing the way I publish, so it might be a while. It's been great writing Ginny though. You can check my author page for some of the stories I've been thinking of. Not like you'd want to. Kind of boring, really.  
  
This was just about the hardest chapter I've ever had to write. And probably the crappiest/corniest. You can throw rocks at me. I understand.

It's short! I just realized that...Sorry again.  
  
So thanks to everyone for reading it and waiting around for the next chapter and putting up with my poor plot development. It's been practically a year! And thanks to all of you who review; I love getting feedback, and the reviews are so funny So yes, much love and chocolate to you all.

**Disclaimer:** Weep. My last disclaimer! Sort of. Better do it right, then. The characters and thingies do not belong to me. Rather, they are the property of that woman named J.K. Rowling that you've all heard of, who apparently, got some sort of honorary degree recently. So, w00t. Hah. I can't pull that off, can I?

* * *

****

**Tues., Dec. 2**   
  
I don't think I've ever been happier. I finally understand what people always say: When you're with that one special person, you feel so different, better than you ever have before.  
  
I want to remember this forever.  
  
Yesterday, after sitting in the loos for awhile, I saw someone out through the window. Oh yes. I've already written that. It was Harry.  
  
"Harry, Harry, wait up!" I called, running out of the hotel where the reception was being held.  
  
He turned around, looking surprised. More like shock, really. Not sure why...Well, anyway, I had finally just about caught up to him, which was very difficult. My heels were quite tall.  
  
"Aah!" I cried, as it punctured a hole in the lawn. With my shoe stuck in the ground, I tripped forward, flailing my arms wildly to keep my balance.  
  
"Whoa!" Harry reached out and steadied me, but with me flapping my arms like a windmill, I accidentally knocked his glasses.  
  
"Sorry, sorry!" I said, picking them up for him.  
  
"It's okay," he answered, frowning slightly. He avoided my eyes. "So..."  
  
"I –" I started unconfidently. "I – I wanted to say I'm sorry."  
  
"You already did."  
  
"No, not for the glasses, for that – that other thing." I paused, looking over at him expectantly. His face was blank. "I'm sorry for – for standing you up over dinner and for making you feel bad and – and for not appreciating you and everything you've done for me," I said in a big rush. "And I'm really really sorry for not realizing sooner the way I felt...about you."  
  
Harry's eyes flickered and I gulped. But since he didn't say anything, I continued. "And – and I guess what I'm trying to say is...if it's not too late...maybe we could still...still..."  
  
Harry was still silent. I felt my heart thump and drop into my stomach. "Okay then," I said, choking, but trying to sound cheerful, which is quite hard when you finally realize you love someone, and finally tell them, and then they just do nothing. Not even say anything. "Well...well, I hope we can still be friends."  
  
Finally he said something. "Ginny...how can you hope that we can 'still be friends'?" he said slowly.  
  
My eyes started to cloud. I couldn't believe this was Harry talking. I had tried to say sorry so many times! But at this point, I couldn't will myself to say it once more. My heart hurt too much.  
  
"Oh. Right. Of course, so – so I'll just be going then. Mingle and such..." I turned around to head back into the party. When I was sure he couldn't see my face, I started to lift my hand up to wipe away hot tears of embarrassment and disappointment.  
  
I felt him grab my hand halfway up. I was jolted by the look on his face and the intensity in his eyes. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't tear myself away from him.  
  
"Ginny," he said, "I just can't – I can't accept being just your friend. I want to be more – I have to be more."  
  
And then I said the stupidest thing possible: "What?"  
  
Harry just grinned and I felt him pull on my wrist so that I got closer and closer to him. I could see him leaning in and his face getting closer and closer to mine.  
  
And...well this time it wasn't a dream.

* * *

**Fri., Dec. 3**   
  
Aah. Am not wicked old spinster, but lovely, successful witch with her own boyfriend and own column! Yes, my Madam Match column just came out today! The very first one! And I gave pretty good advice, if I do say so myself.  
  
And it's not just me. Lavender stopped into the office, yelling "Look at this Madam Match person!" while pointing at the Daily Prophet. "She gives advice, Ginny, just like you! Except I think hers is better, no offence."  
  
And then Padma sent an owl to Madam Match, saying "I read your advice column today, and one of the letters really applied to me. It helped me realise what I had to do – and just as you advised Unsure to do, I'm going to leave my fiancé."  
  
I wonder if I should tell anyone who Madam Match really is...Naah. Better gossip this way, if they don't know she's me.  
  
Had a lovely conversation with Harry this morning. We talked about everything that happened, trying to sort things out.  
  
"And then," I said, trying to explain the biting-door incident, "it just snapped at me!"  
  
Harry laughed and I narrowed my eyes. "You didn't install that just for me, did you?"  
  
"No, no..." he said. He was looking at my hands. "Is this where it bit it then?" He kissed them both gently and I smiled.  
  
Suddenly I remembered something. "Harry...why did you keep avoiding me? Why didn't you let me reach you?"  
  
"I...I guess I was just afraid," he said slowly. "It – it hurt to see you, thinking that...that you'd never be mine..." He looked so embarrassed.  
  
"Harry," I said seriously. "I'll always be yours. I promise."

He just laughed. I was about to ask if I was unable to pull of a line like that, or something, when Harry looked at his watch and said "When are you supposed to be in a work, again?"

I glanced at the clock on the wall. "Oh _no_! I'm already late!"

And well...erm, yeah. So now I'm in the office loo, hoping I can walk past Alicia and pretend that I was just in there for a really long time. It's fine, really. And there's a box of chocolates in my office that I can use for when she doesn't believe me and starts yelling. So it all works out!

See? Anything can look brighter if you just look at it in the right light.


End file.
